I believe LinkedIn is the first social network all job seekers and entrepreneurs should use and master.

Here are links to recent posts about LinkedIn on my book’s site:

Craig Fisher, who provided some LinkedIn tips about using keywords in chapter 5, allowed me to highlight advice from one of his recent blogs about using LinkedIn.

Tim Tyrell-Smith, manager of a LinkedIn Success Story group, and Timothy Puyleart, who runs a very successful, niche LinkedIn group, offered excellent advice about the advantages and challenges of creating LinkedIn groups. Learn more in the post highlighting LinkedIn groups.

Stay tuned for more links to posts with social networking advice thanking contributors to Social Networking for Career Success. Take a look at the entire list of contributors and links to their blogs and Twitter accounts.

photo from LinkedIn Press Center

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If you are a job seeker, I wouldn’t be surprised if you welcome the opportunity to hear from recruiters and sourcers (the ones who track down candidates) about how to position yourself to land a great opportunity. On this “international” edition of my friend Stephanie A. Lloyd’s Dream Job Radio show, listeners not only had the opportunity to hear directly from those great resources, but also got the HR perspective – more accurately, the Punk Rock HR perspective, which always adds spice to the mix!

Featured guests included: Geoff Webb and Maha Akiki representing RecruitingBlogs, Laurie Ruettimann of PunkRockHR fame and Craig Fisher, creator and host of #TalentNetLive.

(In the photo to your right – Maha, Geoff and Craig) >

I was happy to share the coach’s vantage point, answering such questions as “What do you advise for job seekers who cannot afford to hire help?” and others! (There I am with Laurie in the picture below!)

Some tidbits from the show:

Craig – You are in big trouble if your job profile is just a paper resume. Everything is going mobile. Get a good smart phone.

Geoff – Resumes are terrible. You need to be involved in social media. Build a Google profile.

Laurie – Don’t feel that you must find a “dream” job. “Dream jobs” don’t always pay the bills. Hiring is not fair and we all need to recognize that!

Maha – Build a great online profile so I can find you while you are sleeping!

Stephanie – Get creative. Companies don’t take care of people. Get creative and have multiple streams of income. (There is Stephanie, running the show, below!)

Listen to the show HERE to catch all of the great advice from a terrific group of pros!

I can help with every part of your job hunt! Need a great resume? Tips to use social networking? Interview coaching?  If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While you’re at it, don’t forget those social networks! Be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on Facebook…I’d be thrilled to have you as part of the community! Since we’re on the subject of doing something new…Are you on Twitter? Jump on and touch base with me @keppie_careers.

The post Advice for job seekers from recruiters, sourcers, HR and a career coach appeared first on Keppie Careers.

I know Craig via Twitter and saw him tweet on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving about placing a candidate:

Of course, I immediately DMed and asked if he’d contribute to this series. This is Craig’s take on looking for a job during the holidays…

So perhaps you are thinking that hiring managers won’t be in the office over the holidays.  Maybe you should ease up on your job search.  But you should know that your friendly neighborhood recruiter is likely still in touch with those managers and trying to make placements happen.

As a case in point, I just placed a candidate in a great new position.  It is Tuesday evening before Thanksgiving.  I was able to facilitate a background check and offer letter while both candidate and client were already out for vacation.  All parties were thrilled and the candidate gets to start work on this coming Monday morning.

Today it is easier than ever for recruiters to do business even when nobody is at work.  Smart phones make it so easy to text and view documents.  And smart recruiters know that many hiring managers are trying to spend budget money right now before year end.

Just remember that we recruiters are ALWAYS trying to get people placed in jobs.  And we are likely in touch with many of our clients even when they are out of the office.  Recruiters work hard all through the holidays.  And if you are a job seeker, you should too.

Craig Fisher is a founding partner of A-List solutions, blogger at http://blog.fishdogs.com/ and host of the TalentNet Live #TNL recruiter forum. As a 15-year recruiting industry veteran, Craig is a social recruiting and new media branding strategist for job seekers and employers. Follow Craig on Twitter @Fishdogs

Don’t miss all the great advice from my colleagues and friends for holiday job seeking:

Part 1 – My suggestions and a free ebook offer

Part 2 – Walter Akana – Take care of yourself

Part 3 – Anita Bruzzese – Stay ahead of the crowd

Part 4 – Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter – Unplug and embrace rest

Part 5 – Wendy Enelow – Ideas for employed and unemployed job seekers

Part 6 – GL Hoffman – Use time to research and prepare

Part 7 – Meghan M. Biro – Use the holidays for self assessment

So, what do you think? Are you planning to go at your job hunt full force? Share in the comments!

I can help with every part of your job hunt! Need a great resume? Tips to use social networking? Interview coaching?  If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While you’re at it, don’t forget those social networks! Be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on Facebook…I’d be thrilled to have you as part of the community! Since we’re on the subject of doing something new…Are you on Twitter? Jump on and touch base with me @keppie_careers.

photo by geedarryl

The post Recruiters don't ease up during the holidays – neither should you appeared first on Keppie Careers.