“The squeaky wheel gets the grease” is a quip we have all heard.  What does it mean? Well, it is the mirror image of “out of sight is out of mind.” Where am I going with this?  It’s all part of your networking/job searching strategy.  At your current job, that means you should make sure you squeak and are in sight of your boss and your company.  Be sure to contribute in meetings, follow up with positive emails, respond to surveys, pass on competitive information, etc.  Be seen.

With a recruiter or a network contact, there are similar ways to squeak: 

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I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to have a network and keep in contact with the people in it, but many people don’t know how to do this well.  So, today’s video post is on networking.  Not how to meet and talk to people one-on-one, but how to have a pool of resources.  Here are 4 major points to keep in mind for building the kind of professional network that will serve you throughout your job search and your career.

1. You do have current contacts. Make sure you have current e-mail addresses.  These don’t have to be close relationships–acquaintances are fine.  It should be people who you have something in common with:  you used to work with them, your spouse works with them, you went to school with them, you were/are in some kind of a group with them, you get the idea.  Every 3-6 months, send an e-mail to those contacts. It should say something like,  “Hi, this is Peggy.  It’s been a long time since we’ve talked.  I’m still at ____________________, still doing _____________.  If you need anything, please give me a call.  Here are my phone numbers if you need to get in touch with me or give someone else my contact information if I can assist them.  If your personal e-mail has changed, please let me know.”  If you can (but you don’t have to), offer them something.  This will keep you in their minds so that when an opportunity DOES come up, they are likely to think of you.  You haven’t asked anything of them–you’ve just said “Hello.”

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If you’re new to the job market, you probably have challenges that are a little different from other candidates:  you probably have a small network to access, you have only limited job experience, and you’re still learning the job-hunting ropes.  Here are a few job-hunting tips that will help you get on the right road to success:

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Jason from The Talent Buzz posted this January 11.  I love Twitter, and it’s an honor to be included with the other great recruiters on this list.  Thanks, Jason!

It’s hard to believe it has been almost 2 years since my first tweet.  Since then I’ve had the opportunity to meet a lot of great people inside and outside of my industry and profession, and publish a few blog posts on the topic.  A few examples include:

• Using Twitter to Recruit, Find a Job, or Network
• Using Twitter to Network and Find a Job
• Recruiting, Social Media, and Friends. Twitter Rocks!

Looking back the growth of twitter has been astounding.  In April of 2009, there were 1.5 billion tweets.  9 months later (as I write this) there are 7.6 billion tweets and counting.

Last February (2009) there were 900 profiles with the word “recruiter”.  Fast forward 2 months to April and it grew to 3,900.  Today there are 10,372!  There are also over 15,000 social media “experts” in case you hadn’t heard…

So with over 10,000 people with the word recruiter in their profile, who should you follow?

I would start with the 25 most influential recruiters on twitter, according to wefollow.  They include:

1. Shally Steckerl – @shally
2. Irina Shamaeva – @braingain
3. Glen Cathey – @BooleanBlackBlt
4. AIRS – @AIRSTraining
5. Steven Rothberg – @StevenRothberg
6. Jennifer McClure – @CincyRecruiter
7. Jerry Albright – @Jerry_Albright
8. Geoff Peterson – @GeoffPeterson
9. Stephanie Lloyd – @StephanieALloyd
10. Paul DeBettignies – @MNHeadhunter
11. Craig Fisher – @Fishdogs
12. Michael Long – @theredrecruiter
13. Ryan Leary – @ryanleary
14. Jim Durbin – @smheadhunter
15. Shannon Myers – @slcmyers
16. Sarah Peacey – @RecruitingTruth
17. Nikki G – @Recruitnik
18. Todd Kmiec – @toddkmiec
19. Dawn Mular – @DMular
20. Jeff Lipschultz – @JLipschultz
21. Rick Deare – @RickDeare
22. Peggy McKee – @salesrecruiter
23. Bruce – @RecruiterBruce
24. David Graziano – @DavidGraziano
25. Darryl Dioso – @DarrylRMSG

Sure, one could argue the other 9,000 recruiters haven’t registered their profile on wefollow (that’s their fault) or have chosen a different tag than recruiter.  Either way, you’ll be in great company with these 25 tweeps.

Check out Jason’s great Twitter Tips on the Talent Buzz!

Mark Hunter is a sales expert.  He has some really terrific networking event tips for you.  Whether you’re in a sales field or not, these are tips worth learning how to do well.  You never know where your next job lead might come from!

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Informational interviews can be a tremendous tool to both build your network and advance your job search.  They can help you establish connections and build relationships, and they are a source of the kind of inside information on the company that you can use in your job hunt.   If you happen to be job searching for an extended length of time, they are one more way for you to work your network and help keep you sharp.  However, they have to be handled with a little finesse.  The line can seem a little blurry between an informational interview and a job interview, but it is definitely there, and it’s very important that you respect it. 

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One of the best aspects of LinkedIn is that it allows people to connect with other professionals in specific areas of interest, no matter what your field.  LinkedIn Groups are a place for communities to form based on a common experience, goal, or any other characteristic. The idea is to provide a venue where collaboration and support can be encouraged.

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What is LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is a social networking site for professionals in the business world.  It allows people to interact with other professionals in their industry and maintain a profile that contains career-oriented information. Other job databases and networking sites can be expensive or hard to navigate. LinkedIn is free for most and very specific to the business world.  This is the place to toot your own horn about your skills, abilities, and career goals.

Why it is so valuable?

As of October 15, 2009, LinkedIn hit a new milestone with over 50 million professionals now a part of this ever-growing database (as reported by the CEO of the company). This large number should get your attention.  80% of employers and recruiters use this database to prospect for new candidates because it is perhaps the easiest and most cost-effective tool employers and recruiters have ever had available to them.  There is a strong chance that your next employer, recruiter, client, or business partner is already on LinkedIn.  So all you have to do is leverage LinkedIn to begin that relationship.

How does it work?

LinkedIn provides a profile format that the job seeker completes. The profile details past employment, interests, specialty skills and experiences and allows you to include a profile photo.  [Tip: Be sure to use a professional (business-appropriate) headshot photo for this, although it doesn’t have to taken by a professional photographer.] Your profile can provide an employer or recruiter with a wealth of information before they ever speak to you.  You can even reach out to those you have worked with in the past to get a recommendation about the quality of your work that will be displayed on your profile. These testimonials reinforce the details that are listed as well as help build trust about your work ethic—making them one of the most powerful aspects of your LinkedIn profile.  One of the most valuable features of LinkedIn is its ability to show these recommendations, which allows hiring managers and human resources as well as recruiters to see if a potential employee is worth hiring.  [Tip: You get to choose what recommendations you show on your profile.  If the ones you have aren’t strong enough or persuasive enough about you as a great employee, don’t use them.] 

What can it do for me?

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As any job-seeker can attest, finding a good job in today’s business climate can be quite challenging. The good news is that it is not an impossible task. There are some tools that people can use in order to increase their chances of landing a great career opportunity.

One of these tools is LinkedIn, a professional networking site that connects individuals to a wealth of career resources. It can refer you to people or companies that are looking to hire someone new.  In order to maximize the power of LinkedIn, your profile must be well-constructed.  What makes for a great profile?

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If you’re a college senior, you’ll be a jobseeker soon. 

Students traditionally use on-campus job interviews as a way to get their first post-college job, but according to one article, less than 1/3 of college students find jobs from companies that hire through career services. 

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