Knowledge is Power - online research for six-figure professionals

By Maureen McCann, BA, MCRS, MCIS, MCCS
Senior Consultant & Strategist, Graham Management Group

There is no question – times have changed.

Recent studies have shown there will be over 2.2 billion internet users by 2013. Whether it is how we receive our news, how we download data, how we share files, or how we correspond with others - access to the worldwide web has changed the world around us.

So what does this mean for executive job seekers? It means that traditional methods of job search alone will not prove as effective as a fully integrated job search that includes leveraging online media. Why? Because executives have to be as competitive in the labour market as they are in business.

With the current state of the economy – seasoned executives are now finding themselves looking for work – sometimes for the first time in many years. Regardless of a lifetime of dedication to their company, industry, and profession, they find themselves alone in the job market. So how does one use the internet to start over and stand out in today’s market? Research is key – and knowledge is power.

Times are changing. You must too.

In the 1990’s, job seekers were encouraged to create profiles on large job boards. These job boards would host their resumes and online profiles free of charge to the job seeker. The challenge with this model was that executive jobseekers were unable to connect directly with the companies who sought the candidate. Instead, they were forced to sit back and wait for the company, or recruiting organization to contact them (at the convenience of the hiring company). This “one-way” communication proved unsatisfactory to many job seekers who wanted to control their job search and engage companies looking to hire their talent. Fast forward to 2010 and social media has empowered executive job seekers to engage directly with organizations and the individuals inside them. How, you may ask?

According to online encyclopaedia Wikipedia, social media is about shifting how people discover, read, and share information. It is also about transforming information from monologue to dialogue, and about turning readers into publishers.

Take LinkedIn for example, a professional directory and online tool leveraged extensively by jobseekers and recruiters. It boasts 50 million users across 200 countries. LinkedIn is employed by executives from every one of the Fortune 500 companies.

"Recruiters are telling us that social media is becoming their first resource when they're looking for candidates with specific skills and experience. If you're currently looking for a job, creating - or updating - your profile on LinkedIn is one of the best ways to ensure recruiters find you.” says Paul Dodd, President of Head2Head, a Canadian recruiting company specializing in in-sourced and outsourced recruiting solutions. In fact, statistics have show that 69% of Canadian recruiters are using LinkedIn to find candidates – and the number is likely to be much higher when we consider recruiters who want to retain professionals for six-figure jobs.

LinkedIn is much more than a resume profile.

There is much more to LinkedIn than simply uploading your profile to be found by recruiters. While many people use it only for its 24 hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week display of a resume (online profile), there are a myriad of somewhat hidden, yet accessible opportunities for senior-level professionals to exploit. If you want to be found by recruiters, or any leading-edge company for that matter, you would be wise to consider using LinkedIn to engage and interact with your target market.

Taking this a step further, if you seriously want to add value to your job search, you will find the rich features and benefits of LinkedIn will substantially increase ones chance of finding rewarding, and fulfilling employment.

Imagine, if you will, that everything you needed to know about a company you would like to work for – could be found on LinkedIn. You could use LinkedIn to gather intelligence on the company, the people within the company, the corporate culture, and the direction of the company’s business.

Here is just one example of how to use LinkedIn effectively in your job search, demonstrating how it is much more than a place to house a resume and contact list.

Use LinkedIn to secure interviews and job offers.

An executive client and job seeker targeted 20 companies for whom he wanted to work. He researched each company using LinkedIn and found that two of the companies he targeted had posed questions within the Questions and Answers Forum of the site. This client reviewed each question carefully, then submitted a well-thought out answer to his target company. He ended the answers with a call to action from the employer. Within 48 hours, the client received a call back from one of the companies. Within a week, he had met with someone at that organization, who at that time set up a secondary meeting to discuss next steps in bringing this client and jobseeker onboard.

Using LinkedIn, the client was able to research the company, uncover the real-time challenges the organization faced, and demonstrate his subject-matter-expertise to an employer in need of his services. Taking a direct, action-oriented approach, this job seeker reached out to solve the company’s issue. He demonstrated why the two needed to meet, and how the company  would benefit from bringing him onboard to resolve their issues.

Regardless of what industry or position you are targeting, consider using more than a corporate website to learn about an organization, its vacant positions, and its corporate culture. Social media continues to be the fastest growing method for recruiting senior-level candidates, take a look around for ways to uncover opportunities others miss online.

Empower yourself. Take advantage of free research resources now.

While the big job-boards battle it out, you are now empowered to own your career transition and promote yourself using online tools. If you want to learn more about taking advantage of research resources, take Graham Management Group’s newest survey OUTLOOK 2010: Competitive Career Intelligence for Six-Figure Canadians and receive a complimentary self-study program entitled Strategic Planning for the Six-Figure Professional from Sharon Graham, Canada’s Career Strategist. You’ll also get free access to Graham Management Group’s Canadian Competitive Intelligence Report and you’ll receive a $100.00 credit on any resume portfolio development services from Graham Management Group in 2010.

Maureen McCann is an award-winning, inspiring, and resourceful master certified resume strategist and career consultant, and senior advisor for Career Professionals of Canada. As senior Consultant for Graham Management Group, Maureen assists executives, managers, and six-figure professionals through the full scope of career transition. You can contact Maureen and find further information and articles directly at www.GrahamManagement.com.

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