Awesome People, Here’s Why You NEED to Fill Out Your LinkedIn Profile

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, there are 27.9 million small businesses and 18,500 firms with more than 500 employees. Due to such a large number of employers, there is sure to be overlap in the meaning of job titles causing the titles to be completely ambiguous. They lack clarity, true meaning and concrete value.

Essentially, your job title does not matter. Sure, some titles are universally recognized, but that does not mean that each person with that title does the same thing. As an example, let us examine the title “sales manager.”

Just looking at three different LinkedIn profiles of people with the current title “sales manager,” you can find three very different jobs. The first profile has no direct reports and manages a sales territory including only two cities. The next profile manages four to six sales associates in a territory covering three states. The last profile manages a sales force of 21 and is in charge of all their training. These three people have very different backgrounds, but they all have the same title. Each person has an excellent profile with details of each of their past positions, so you can tell what each of them really did.

When a recruiter or hiring manager is looking to fill a position, it is crucial that they be able to easily view past history in order to find you. You are awesome. Companies will want to hire you, but if you are not giving them the right information, they cannot even find you. Do yourself a huge favor, and complete as much of your LinkedIn profile as possible. Your dream job could be out there just waiting for you to fill in the details.

If you have questions about how to best fill out your LinkedIn profile, contact us at info@connorcaitlin.com.

What your Resume Says About You

A resume is an ideal tool used to exemplify you.  Many times, recruiters will not even look at your cover letter until they have gone over your resume. There would be no point in going further than viewing the resume if you don’t have the correct qualifications and background for the position right? This is why its critical to provide as much information and accomplishments as possible. One thing is certain; you never want recruiters assuming anything. For example, if there is a gap in your resume somewhere when you were out of work then make sure you give an explanation as to why. Your timeline regarding different jobs is one of the key components of your resume. This way recruiters will be able to decipher whether you are more committed or a job jumper.

Now, when listing your previous jobs and current job, it’s essential to provide a decent description for each one. On the other hand, don’t be too lengthy about it and make it easy to read by using bullet points for instance. Recruiters want to see that you have had multiple job titles throughout your career; this indicates you are well rounded and more experienced. With that being said, recruiters want to know if you are getting results in your area of expertise. This would be where you talk about your accomplishments and throw in some numbers that give weight to your achievements.

Continuously promote your quality as a person and employee, your skills, and of course your education. At the end of your resume it is strongly suggested to provide a couple references for the recruiter to contact if needed. Bottom line is, always be critical of your work. Your resume is your first impression so make sure it’s a memorable one because your resume speaks for you.

Please contact Connor | Caitlin at www.connorcaitlin.com for more information regarding resumes.

Make Time your Partner, Not your Opponent

Time is the most precious resource we have as human beings.  When it comes to your job, time management is definitely something you need to master sooner rather than later to avoid being swamped. There are a few key tips to keep in mind when managing your time during work.

Always be a good listener. It’s critical to listen to your colleagues in order to learn, receive some advice, or come up with new ideas. Often times this helps get tasks done faster.

Deadlines are also very important, so the more successful employees tend to be more organized and productive by keeping track of time. Planning ahead is a tactic that is needed in order to meet deadlines and will benefit you in the sense of keeping your day on track.

In today’s society, technology and social media are becoming large aspects in the business world. Technology should be used as a resource, but a lot of times it can be a distraction. It’s vital to be in control of technology so it doesn’t control you and affect your work ethics. Take initiative and handle these circumstances and diversions that are best for you.

Another tip is knowing your limit, so never bite off more than you can chew because in the long run that will end up slowing you down.  Going back to planning out your work day; it’s a clever idea to set a time for yourself that you want to work until and a time you don’t want to work past. By choosing a time to leave work by will help you be more proficient during the day, as well as keeping up with plans outside of work. 

The real and utmost trick to time management is organization. Being organized helps you stay at the top of your game, so go ahead and make a to-do list and organize your information. You will find yourself moving at a faster pace and work will seem that much easier with a little bit of organization skills.

Manage your time; don’t let it get ahead of you.

Please contact Connor | Caitlin at www.connorcaitlin.com for more information. 

What’s your best practice?

The phrase “best practice” is tossed around all the time, especially in human resources and recruiting. What does it really mean though?

A company begins to call a procedure a “best practice” after it is proven to provide results. Companies love hearing about “best practices,” sharing theirs with others, and learning new “best practices” from others. When just thinking about it on the surface, that makes a lot of sense. However, if the surface of the idea is scraped just a tiny bit, the idea begins to fall apart.

If there is one thing that is constant in the world it is change. Change is necessary for progress and progress is vital to continual success. If these ideas are held true, then the idea of “best practices” is almost a laughable one. How can one expect to change and progress while using the same procedures over and over again?

The other vital piece to consider is that all businesses and people are different. What works best for one may be a catastrophic failure to another. Learning from others is a great practice and can lead to miraculous innovation, but only if done while still considering differences. 

All of this is not to say that you should throw all procedures and practices out the window. Some consistency and much organization are both also key factors of success. However, it is important to regularly examine everything being done to insure no updates or improvements can be made.

Contact Connor | Caitlin to talk about “best practices” and continuous improvement by emailing info@connorcaitlin.com