I presented a session titled LinkedIn Training: Improve your profile on the world’s largest business network on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at the PCC Employment Outreach Event in Pennington, NJ. During my research, I gathered resources and articles of interest to job seekers. I have parked these miscellaneous links and online resources here for all to enjoy and use.

Social media: LinkedIn, twitter

LinkedIn is a two way conversation, always be personal, always respond. Read the guest author post titled Ten tips to enhance your job search on LinkedIn.

Twitter is microblogging as a social conversation.

Job search sites

Indeed.com is a popular job search aggregator.

CrossRoads from Net-Temps, a weekly electronic magazine with information and tools to help you succeed in your job search and career.  Net-Temps is your employment site to post your resume, search for jobs and apply online.

Job skills evaluation

The Discovery channel, in conjunction with a university and .gov, has put together the Discover Your Skills website to help students and people plan their careers or change skill mid-career.

Recommended reading from people that I like

Career Sherpa Hannah Morgan posts an excellent job search guide and blog. I attended Hannah’s “Define your personal brand” seminar at the Rochester, NY’s Society for Technical Communication Spectrum 2011 conference and was converted to an enthusiastic fan and follower.

Our keynote speaker Sandy Schussel’s blog Reaching is enlightening and powerfully inspiring.

Keep in touch with your network

Recommended reading on this subject includes the following two posts:

• Pinging your network
• Establish a Professional Web Presence this Weekend

@TwitJobSearch

A job search engine for Twitter. Helping jobseekers and employers by finding and organizing job tweets. Join the chat on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/bcfu8E and visit http://www.twitjobsearch.com.

Education, it’s not always expensive and it’s sometimes free

M.I.T. Game-Changer: Free Online Education For All http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesmarshallcrotty/2011/12/21/m-i-t-game-changer-free-online-education-for-all/

Networking

Although the Internet will probably make up one component of your job search, the most effective way to find a job is through networking. You could answer dozens of ads, but knowing the right people can make all the difference in landing an offer. Plus, only about 15% to 20% of all job openings are ever publicly advertised in any medium, according to Quintcareers.com. Most job leads come through the grape vine, specifically, your grapevine. How’s your vine?

Network

Suggestions and more ways that you can network:

• Use your college alumni association
• Join a professional organization
• Join online discussion groups (consider relevant LinkedIn groups)

All of these participatory activities are good ways to meet people in your field. You can set up an informational interview with experts in your industry, get an internship when you’re first starting out (or willing to work for free!), and keep in touch with college acquaintances.

Send two versions of your résumé by e-mail. Many employers won’t open résumé attachments either out of laziness or fear of contracting a computer virus. Your chance of getting noticed: zilch. Go ahead and attach the document, but copy and paste a text-only version of your résumé into the body of your e-mail message to cover your bases.

Use industry-specific key words in your resume and LinkedIn profile so that search engines can find you.

Many employers dump résumés into a database and search for key words to narrow the field. The magic words are often job titles, skills, or areas of expertise related to the position. The best way to research your job key words is to look at ads for your target job and see the kind of language employers are using.

Resume reading http://portal.kiplinger.com/features/archives/2005/01/resume.html

Links of interest: news for job seekers in 2012

• Miller: 2012 will see growth in job postings, rise of “patchwork professionals”
• Tips for 20-something Job Seekers
• LinkedIn Got Me Two Great Jobs

Evernote makes it easy to remember things big and small from your everyday life using your computer, phone, tablet and the web. I installed it on my Droid phone, my Mac, my work computer, and have already used the web-only screen capture. I couldn’t write the enticing descriptions better than the Evernote web site. The following descriptions say it all, and I am wondering how I lived without Evernote before today!

With Evernote, all of your notes, web clips, files and images are made available on every device and computer you use.

Remember things you like. Save everything cool and exciting you see online and in the real world. Snap a photo, record some audio, and save it.

Take notes anywhere. You’re always moving, your notes should be too. With Evernote, your memories are on every computer, phone and device you use.

Evernote: my new favorite tool!

We hope that our PCC Employment Outreach Event (EOE) becomes an annual event.

PCC EOE features keynote speech “Seven Ways to Stay Motivated” by nationally-known author and business coach Sandy Schussel and additional career-building, skills-training, and getting-employed conference presentation topics that include:

• Should I just start my own business? by Sandy Schussel
• LinkedIn Training: Improve your profile on the world’s largest business network by Barrie Byron (me!)
  
• Technology, social networking, and business trends impact on skill set needs by Jim Klinck
• Managing your money in challenging times by Martin Hopkins
• I am not your friend: interviewing communication skills from HR perspective by Marianne Grady
• How many chances do you get to make a first impression? by Jack Levitt

Lunch, entertainment, skits, live music, and door prizes are provided by Princeton Community Church (PCC) to registered participants. We aim to motivate, inspire, teach, and share our skils.

•  8:00 a.m. Registration opens: networking, coffee, donuts
•  8:30 a.m. Opening session and keynote speech
• 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. Conference sessions
• 11:45 a.m. Lunch by Hopewell Bistro
• 12:30 p.m. Closing session with skit, music, and door prizes
• All day: support, advice, community, skills building

Registration required at http://pcceoe.eventbrite.com/. See you there!?

We had so much fun preparing this content that our passion has produced many opportunities for us. We presented on the virtual success topic at the following events:

• March 2011: Rochester STC chapter’s Spectrum conference
• April 2011: STC Mid-Atlantic Technical Communication conference
• June 2011: STC web seminar
• July 2011: Web seminar for 47 technical writers at Hewlett-Packard. We enjoyed this special purpose presentation for the HP Lunch and Learn series, where many of the HP writer work remotely.

We are schedule to present in person to the STC New England Chapter on March 21. See you there?

Our article is published in STC Intercom December 2011 issue: http://intercom.stc.org/2011/11/a-virtual-success-best-practices-for-working-remotely/.

Do you have good tips for successful work-at-home strategies? We would love to hear them!

A = Acceptance (a big one for quirky me!)

A = Affection (always a win for demonstrative me)

A = Affirmation

Affirmation is a form of recognition that we can all give the people that are important to us. “Hey, you’re important to me!” and “I value you as a person” and “You make a difference in my ____” (fill in the blank: life, team, project, family, group).

We’re not all rock star employees, but we all crave recognition. I agree with the advice for frequent feedback. Ask your boss for time today! Or make time for your employees, friends, family, and team members. See the WebWorkerDaily article 5 ways to keep your rockstar employees happy.

Recognition, the elusive and highly sought reward… give it today!

In addition to membership grades (general, senior member, and student member), STC bestows three elective, honorary ranks: Associate Fellow, Fellow, and Honorary Fellow.

An STC Associate Fellow is a Senior Member who has been formally recognized by the Society for having attained distinction in the field of technical communication.

Associate Fellows have accomplished one or more of the following:

• Been responsible for important work in the field of technical communication.
• Done notable original work that has contributed to the advancement of technical communication.
• Made significant contributions to the Society and helped to tell STC’s powerful story.

My own path to Associate Fellow is published on the STC Notebook at http://notebook.stc.org/path-to-associate-fellow-barrie-byron-2010/

I get a lot out of recognizing excellence and demonstrating appreciation. I’ve nominated four individuals for honorary ranks. Earlier this summer, I nominated a professional colleague for a company award, and she was so appreciative of the recognition for her excellence. When is the last time that you nominated a peer? or submitted a colleague for recognition?

Technology is the great equalizer. It’s cheap, pervasive, and transforms today’s work environment. Software that used to cost tens of thousands of dollars a year is now often cheap or free, which is fueling a surge in startups.

Use technology to make connections, share expertise, collaborate, and communicate. Some employers and clients provide a virtual work support structure. Other companies might require that you introduce your own mobile work resources. Here are some favorites that my friend and Virtual Success presentation partner Ann Grove and I are pleased to recommend:

Google

Whether you consider Google your best friend or your Big Brother, it has awesome tools for virtual workers who need to build their own work infrastructure.
At www.google.com, click More and then click Even more to see tools including most of the following:

• Calendars: You can add the calendars for each country that comprises your team to recognize global holidays. Add a team calendar for vacation days.
• Gmail: I adore my free Gmail account, which I have had for many years. I can use google search for all of my mail. I never misplace an email message. It’s easy to keep contacts current. (Especially handy when integrated with a Droid smartphone.)
• Documents: Google documents live “in the cloud” which means others can view and edit them simultaneously. Great for collaborative writing and editing. Note: Use of styles is very limited.
• Sites: Create and manage your own websites. I have a google site for my personal travel (because I am an intrepid adventurer and because the site privacy enables to share my plans appropriately). I also have google sites for STC chapter activities and other collaborative activities.
• Books: Preview an excerpt or read for free from thousands of books. Searches full text of over 15 million digitized books.
• Scholar: Academic research tool.
• Translate: Translate into other languages or back from other languages, but it isn’t perfect. A colleague of Ann’s translated from English to Italian something like “How are you” and because she could read Italian, she understood that the translated text actually said “Good morning, princess.”
• Google Talk: A downloadable text and voice chat application http://www.google.com/talk/about.html. Keep your online status current. Make domestic phone calls at no cost. I use Google Talk when my cell phone is out of batteries or has bad service.

Graphic software

• gimp: Free image editor software, an alternative to Adobe Photoshop. http://www.gimp.org/
• inkscape: Free vector graphics editor, an alternative to Adobe Illustrator.
  http://www.inkscape.org
• Screen Hunter: Free screen capture software, an alternative to SnagIt and HyperSnap. http://wisdom-soft.com/products/screenhunter_free.htm

Conference call tools

Conference call tools that let you schedule and record conference calls.

• AccuConference.com: http://www.accuconference.com/
• FreeConference.com: http://www.freeconference.com/
• FreeScreenSharing.com: http://www.freescreensharing.com/ provides a useful static URL and dial-in number
• Skype: Free video and voice conferencing from your laptop or telephone. http://www.skype.com/

Screen sharing

Listing this tool twice, because this conference call tool is also an excellent new (and free!) meeting dashboard at http://www.freescreensharing.com/ that allows you to host an online meeting and share your screen with up to 96 participants. Your meeting URL and dial-in details are static, which makes advance and repeat scheduling a snap.

File sharing tools

File sharing sites enable you to securely distribute and manage large files.

• YouSendIt: Free for a single user, up to 100 MB maximum file size. http://www.yousendit.com/ https://www.yousendit.com/
• SendSpace: http://www.sendspace.com/
• Megaupload: http://megaupload.com/
• box.net: http://box.net/

Other nifty virtual work tools

• Doodle: Online scheduling tool. Can be integrated with Google calendars and gmail. http://www.doodle.com/. Especially useful for low tech participants, because invited participants do not have to create an account.
• Speed Test: Test your upload and download speed on your internet connection. http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/

I am now using Microsoft Outlook again. I found that I needed remedial training!

The best productivity tip that I discovered so far comes from my trusted colleague Colin, who we fondly refer to as Macro Man (he can write a macro to automate most of our publishing challenges).

The default email search in Outlook looks for email messages in the current folder only. (Not good, because if I knew what folder to look in, I would be able to find the message that I am looking for.)  You can click the “Try Searching all Mail Items” link, which is a good option to start with.

If you want to save time and increase your productivity, you can opt to change the default search behavior. The following procedure applies to Windows 7, you can modify as needed for your environment.

1. In Microsoft Outlook, from the Tools menu, select Options.
2. On the Preferences tab, click the Search Options button to display the Search Options box.
3. In the Instant Search Pane area, select to show results from All folders.
4. Search and be happy!

It’s worth taking the time to improve your online profile.

Lindsey Pollack is a LinkedIn spokesperson, you can read her blog for career tips and job search strategies.

Learn how to use and navigate LinkedIn. You can read and subscribe to the LinkedIn blogs, especially about job and company searches in LinkedIn:

• A revamped jobs experience in LinkedIn Groups
• Discover the new LinkedIn Company Search
• 5 Ways to Make the Most of LinkedIn
• LinkedIn Signal: A new way for professionals to consume information and news

Increase your visibility on LinkedIn

Strive for a minimum of 100 connections. By adding connections, you increase the likelihood that people will see your profile first when they’re searching for someone to hire or do business with

Improve your connectability

Fill out your profile like it’s an executive bio, so include past companies, education, affiliations, and activities.

Include a link to your LinkedIn profile as part of an email signature (for example, my LinkedIn profile link is www.linkedin.com/in/barriebyron). This link enables people to see all of your credentials, which would be awkward if not downright strange, as an attachment.

Improve your Google PageRank

LinkedIn allows you to make your profile information available for search engines to index.

• LinkedIn profiles receive a fairly high PageRank in Google
• Create a public profile and select “Full View.“
• Customize the default LinkedIn profile URL, to be your actual name. Use this link in various places on the web. For example, when you comment in a blog, include a link to your profile in your signature.

Perform blind, “reverse,” and company reference checks

Have you ever thought of checking your prospective manager’s references? Most of us don’t have the audacity to ask a potential boss for references, but with LinkedIn we have a way to scope out the hiring manager.

You can also check up on the company itself by finding the person who used to have the job that you’re interviewing for. People who used to hold the position can provide you with the inside scoop on the job, manager, and growth potential. Search for job title and company, be sure to uncheck “Current titles only.”

Are you digitally distinct? Check your online identity and take the required steps to improve the search results.

Review these 5 LinkedIn Tips You Didn’t Know, including using Signal.

Learn how to create a winning profile.

As with all online memberships, connections, resources, and applications, you will want to stay current with the account and privacy settings. For new settings and a box that you will want to uncheck, see LinkedIn, Privacy, and Notification.

As a professional writer, I find that my time and my professional talents are the best gifts that I have to share with my friends who are “in transition.” Helping bring out the best in others is a positive activity!

When your friends and members of your communities are holding fund raising events, consider donating your time and your talent:

• Resume makeover, value $450
• 3 hours of professional writing and editing, value $300
• 3 hours of social media training, value $350

You can ask for and receive a donation receipt. Instead of giving money, consider contributing your time and your talent.

In the past four years, I have performed over two dozen resume makeovers for personal friends and their friends. I am inspired by the positive feedback and good will that I so easily generate. I have donated over a dozen resume maker donations to charitable organizations, including:

• Quota International Boca/Delray
• Race for the Arts
• National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC)
• Teal Tea Foundation

Bonus! Some friends feel the need to reciprocate, so they make donations to charities of my choice. I have been able to parlay their donations into membership dues in organizations for other friends in need. Paying it forward is a good feeling.