Category: LinkedIn

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Perfecting Your LinkedIn Profile

Perfecting Your LinkedIn Profile

By Eve Miller

Your LinkedIn profile will likely be the first place recruiters look when you apply for a job. They’ll be asking themselves things such as, “Is this person active on LinkedIn?” “Are they showing interest in news about their career and field?” Recruiters and hiring managers are trying to find things you normally wouldn’t learn with just a resume.

With this in mind, it’s essential to stay up to date with your LinkedIn and start one as soon as possible if you haven’t already. It can be daunting to figure out what to do with your profile as there are a variety of different features, and everyone’s page seems to look different. Instead of spending hours mindlessly searching for what you want, follow these five simple steps and get ahead on job searching.

  1. Have A Good Headshot

Learn how to take a good headshot. While it may not seem like a big thing, headshots can help you stand out among some of the competition. Looking professional gives you the upper hand and lets your future employer know you take yourself and your career seriously. 

It doesn’t have to be a big production with lights and a fancy camera.  Just putting on a nice shirt and having a friend help you take a photo in front of a neutral background can make the difference between the ominous blank gray circle and a nice friendly headshot.

  1. Look For Connections

Sync your contacts. Just do it. Even those people from high school that you never spoke a word to outside of a group presentation can get a connection request. Most people who at least know your name are willing to connect and as that number of connections goes up, so will your job search network.

LinkedIn’s goal is to show that you are always three people away from knowing everyone. Utilize your first connections to make more with second or third connections. This is a great way to network and is almost as effortless as scrolling through your phone on social media. You’ll be able to see how many alumni, friends and other connections you know that work at the companies where you want to apply. 

“You never know who may be the ‘in’ to getting you your future job.”

-Eve Miller

  1. Gain Badges And Skills

It’s time-consuming, it’s painful, but it’s useful. The skills tests LinkedIn offers are an amazing way to start building your LinkedIn profile and demonstrating you are kick starting your career. The quizzes take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes and even allow you to narrow down your job search because it gives you more accurate suggestions based on the skill tests you’ve taken.

  1. Engage With Others

Just like we tell our clients, you must be active on social media. Engaging with your following by liking, commenting and reposting shows that you aren’t on LinkedIn just to find jobs. Engaging is a great way to participate in your industry more generally. You want your future employer to know that you care about the people you connect with and follow. This shows that you’re invested in your career and aren’t just in it for the money, but that you genuinely enjoy what you do.

  1. Cold Messaging 

Cold messaging is tedious and something that is debated. The truth is, it works 50% of the time. Cold messaging job recruiters or even people within your field who have your dream job is not only a smart way to gain connections but also helps you find out more about your career.

Asking questions about how others landed their current job, or even asking why they got into the career, helps you better understand the field you’re entering. If you’re lucky, it can end in an interview for a job. It’s not guaranteed that a cold message  will lead to an interview, but it’s a step in the right direction as you connect with more people and apply for jobs.

LinkedIn doesn’t have to be as scary as logging into Facebook for the first time. It can be simple, easy and helpful for networking and learning more about your career. These five simple tips take no longer than twenty minutes a day and can make your profile look like you are already a professional.
Remember, connect with everyone you may come into contact with, it could create opportunities that didn’t exist before. That being said, connect with me on LinkedIn. 🙂

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Creating a Well-Rounded Linkedin Profile

By Mattie Orloff

With only a few months left in my final semester of college, the job hunt is on. The employment service Linkedin is an important professional networking resource as an unemployed student. It can be difficult to build your profile in a way that sets you apart from your peers. Through searching countless job offers and business profiles, I have become well versed in Linkedin profiles and offer some tips for creating yours:

Profile Image

Your profile image on your Linkedin profile acts as your first impression. It is important to have a current headshot that represents your professional personality . When taking a headshot here are a few tips:

  • Look approachable and friendly.
  • Look directly at the camera.
  • No selfies. No filters.
  • Dress business professional or what you would normally wear to the office. 
  • File types: PNG, JPG and GIF.

Background Image

Photo by Marc Mueller

The background image on your profile should be used to elevate your profile. There are many options for what to use as your background image. If you are a student, take an image somewhere on campus. If you are a professional, use an image that represents your company or industry, for example, a picture of yourself and your coworkers or the tools of your trade. Another option is to use a picture of an award or accomplishment. Linkedin’s standard file size for background images is 1,584 x 396 pixels. 

Headline

A headline is one of the first things someone will read when they view your profile. Don’t just use keywords, but add your own personal spin to set you apart from other profiles. Here are some tips for your headline:

  • Keep it under 115 characters.
  • If you are a student, include your major or graduation year.
  • Include the most recent and relevant position you’ve held. 
  • Rather than stating you’re unemployed, try expressing what you are looking for. 
    • Ex: Public Relations Student | Account Executive at Tehama Group Communications | Seeking paid internship opportunities

Summary

When crafting your summary, remember this is an overview of both your professional and personal life. Linkedin limits summaries to 2,000 characters. Here are some of the main components to include in your summary:

  • An eye-catching introduction
  • What drives you
  • Something personal that humanizes you
  • Give context to your career
  • Keywords
  • Lessons you’ve learned
  • Your accomplishments

Network

Networking is one of your most important assets while using Linkedin. 

  • Start by connecting with your peers and include a personalized note. You can find more connections in the “People you may know” section. Connect with people from your university, similar job positions, and friends of friends.
  • Filter your searches with your specific city and industry. 
  • Engage with your connections. Reconnect with people by linking your contacts with your Linkedin account. Build relationships by asking for help from your network and joining linkedin groups.

Skills

This section is a place for you to feature your strengths. It is important to post the more in-demand skills for your industry. If you have at least five skills listed on your LinkedIn profile you will may receive up to 17x more profile views!

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How To Spruce Up Your LinkedIn Profile During Your Job Search

By: Claire Bang

As a soon to be college graduate, the job hunt becomes a huge part of your final semester. While some of your classmates may find jobs quickly, you might find yourself struggling to figure out what you can do to improve your appearance as a qualified candidate. 

LinkedIn is one of the many free resources you have access to as a soon-to-be professional in the workplace. A profile is something that is easily customizable and can help you stand out from other candidates. In an article from LinkedIn themselves, they give you some of their main pointers on how to give your profile the makeover it deserves.

Make your headline more than just a job title

This stands out for many of us soon-to-be graduates simply because not all of us currently have jobs. Instead of writing that you’re a student at Chico State, you can alter it to display what works for you or a desired position. An example of this is “Aspiring Marketing and PR Specialist.” This allows you to be found easier when recruiters are searching for certain positions. That’s because even if you don’t currently hold the position they’re looking to hire someone for, they’ll be able to find your profile because it has the desired position listed.

If you’ve got the skills, show them off

LinkedIn currently offers more than 80 different assessments for technical, business and design skills. They offer anything from Google Analytics to Microsoft Word and so much more. These allow employers to quickly identify who has the skills they’re looking for before even needing to click on your profile.

Customize your profile with a great banner photo

We all know the first impression comes with having a professional profile image to show who you are, but another really easy way is to create your own banner showing your personality. If you need some help figuring out where to start, look to Canva where you can get creative by messing around with their templates. For me personally, my banner connects back to my professional website and matches the messaging and colors that someone would see in my online portfolio.

If you’ve got the skills, show them off

LinkedIn currently offers more than 80 different assessments for technical, business and design skills. They offer anything from Google Analytics to Microsoft Word and so much more. These allow employers to quickly identify who has the skills they’re looking for before even needing to click on your profile.

Let your personality shine through

Besides letting your personality shine through in your banner, you can also use the about section on your profile to talk about your aspirations. As a soon to be college graduate, I’ve made sure that mine includes a place where I talk about what I’m doing until I graduate. You can include items such as what you’re learning and how you’ve applied it. Mine also includes the kind of team I want to work with and how I want to help a company grow. Be creative with it, because if you’ve already followed the above steps, then this is one of the next places an employer or recruiter would look.

Ensure your experience highlights your accomplishments

This is a spot where an employer has the opportunity to see what you brought to the table in your past experiences. Instead of saying things like, “Responsible for increasing sales within the company,” use specific examples such as, “Increased company sales by 8% throughout 2020.” If you’ve worked a management position you can talk about things like how many team members you onboarded. Treat your profile as a place where you can list your highest accomplishments instead of a place to list mundane job duties.

Show your passion for learning outside of school

LinkedIn offers learning courses where you can further your education on topics you may not learn inside the classroom. They also release up-to-date courses with all the new industry knowledge. Most of the courses give you the opportunity to add a course certificate to your profile after you’ve completed a course. Some of my favorite courses are Crisis Communication, Resume Makeover, Google Ads Essential Training and Learning to Be Promotable.

Now more than ever, it’s important to make sure you are creating an impression on LinkedIn that shows you’re passionate about what you do and what you can bring to a team that is unique to you. The job hunt may seem long and daunting but I promise, you have every tool you could need to set you up for success in your career.

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Five Ways To Network Yourself In The World Of Public Relations After Graduation

A photo of five hands fist bumping each other over a table of binders, notebooks, smartphones, and laptops.

When we graduate college, the feeling is bittersweet and surreal. The moment has finally come: walking across that stage, hearing your name be called to accept your degree and receiving all those great congrats from friends and family. After all of that is said and done, the question is this: what in the world do I next? Am I lined up for a job or paid internship? Do I go to grad school and further my education? Should I take a break and travel the world? All these questions are normal for recently graduated alumni. The world is a scary place but we’ve worked so hard to take it on. We’ve acquired the tools and resources as public relations practitioners to enter virtually any industry we desire. Reality sets in and now must merge ourselves into the real world. Here are tips and tools to land yourself a job pertaining to public relations.

 

Tip 1: Make yourself known on social media

Part of what we learned in public relations is that social media platforms are a big leverage in our field. Be active on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Make sure you have a solid following and follow a good chunk of people. Post things outside of your life and get in touch with social media influencers, businesses, clients etc. It also wouldn’t hurt to create a blog that focuses on your passions. Use hashtags and good images to get an employer’s attention when he or she browses your socials. The more you grasp this, the better chance you have at landing a job.

 

Tip 2: Talk to alumni and fellow public relations practitioners

Being social and making friends in our field of work is a must. Rub elbows with anyone you come in contact with that’s in public relations. Ask questions, get contact information and even check if they have any openings in the near future. Also, while in school, make sure to make these connections while interning, making site visits, listening to guest speakers, etc. Make it a goal to have a long list of phone numbers, emails and business cards by the time you graduate to look back on and refer to.

 

Tip 3: Build up your resume and get more experience

In order to land a solid job, sometimes you have to work from the ground up. If it means getting into internships that are unpaid, freelancing, or even being an assistant to someone, give it a shot. You never know where those opportunities will land you someday. The more experience you have on your resume, the more impressed firms and agencies will be at your line of work. Also, don’t be afraid to explore your horizons and trying new things you’re not used to.

 

Tip 4: Apply, apply apply!

At least six months before graduation, make sure you get ahead of the game and start applying to job postings. Check every single day and make it a goal to apply to a couple a day. Being on a daily hunt will add up and someone will eventually will get back to you. Always check emails, posts from socials on who’s looking and staying active on LinkedIn.

 

Remember, it’s always best to stay on tasks and remaining optimistic. We’re all destined to greatness and taking on the public relations world. With these helpful tricks, you can network your way to a steady job that you love doing.

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Building Your Personal Brand

people brainstorming, about to write on a notebook with supplies around them.

To be successful in any industry, it’s essential to look the part. Workplace culture is evolving and many places may be a little more casual when it comes to work attire. Although freedom of expression is definitely shown through the clothes we wear, it’s critical to remember that what you wear represents your brand.

 

In the PR world, we strive to present the best possible strategies and ideas to our clients. Public relation practitioners are quite the masters at the art of persuading. Just like you wouldn’t showcase your lowest quality of work, you shouldn’t sell yourself short either.

 

Brand management is critical and building your brand is probably the most important. All the skills you possess will get you far, but how you look and how you present yourself will definitely add on those points with employers. There are many things you’re taught to become aware of when entering the professional world. Here are three ways to really strengthen your brand.

 

  1. Dress for success

 

You want to make sure that how you dress both relate to the culture of your workplace and represent what’s important to you. Discover what your style is and get creative when relating it to your workplace culture. Some places will probably require you to dress more business professional, while others might be more casual and informal. Whatever the culture is, make sure you style yourself up so you give off the impression that you are passionate about where you work.

 

  1. Clean up your social media

 

Keeping your social media pages clean will help avoid awkward conversations from your employer. Even if your page is private, those inappropriate pictures can still make their way into the public eye. How you present yourself on social media can reflect greatly on your company. Employers will sometimes take a look at your social media pages to get a glimpse of who you are and what you represent. Therefore, make sure to only present your best self on social media.

 

  1. Amp up your network

 

What a better way of exhibiting your best self than by having a few professional individuals backing up all of your strong qualities. Having some respectable connections can truly make your brand look credible and open up more opportunities for you. However, these connections aren’t going to come to you. Branch out to other people who work in the positions or industries you want to work in to gain some knowledge of what to expect and build that relationship as well.

Among all other things, displaying your best brand requires endless effort, since it’s a lifetime job and always remember to keep it consistent. Showcasing your utmost personal brand will open many professional doors for you in the workforce.

 

By: Grace Gonzalez

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Five Tips to a Better LinkedIn Profile Picture Using a DSLR Camera

Professional portrait of a student with an environmental background. Attribution: Portrait taken by Jasmine Garcia.

 

Making a good first impression is important, especially through a platform where your profile picture is the first thing recruiters look at.

Taking a great professional picture takes more than simply looking the part; it’s the photography techniques that improve your picture and can make you stand out amongst others. Learn how to upgrade your LinkedIn profile picture with these five simple tips:


By Jasmine Garcia

 

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Building Coffee Connections: Corporate vs. Local Business

A white background with black words the say "Tender Loving

It’s hard to imagine getting through a busy weekday morning without a cup (or two) of freshly brewed coffee. Whether it’s made at home, a chain or your local cafe of choice, coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the U.S., generating $5.18 billion annually. While this industry is booming, it hasn’t always been so successful and good public relations and marketing have had a big hand in its popularity.

When I got a job as a barista at the coffee behemoth Starbucks four years ago to support myself through college, I never imagined the impact that coffee has had on both my personal and professional lives.

Tender Loving Coffee is now my client this semester. They are a small batch specialty coffee roasting company located and served locally in Chico. It has been a huge learning experience to be able to implement my own PR strategies into both of these companies.

Starbucks didn’t become a household name solely by serving up tasty coffee and friendly service. A whole lot of PR and marketing campaigns help them stay relevant. I’ve begun to pay much closer attention to the promotional materials we are sent, the company’s social media posts and how they handle crises. (Red cup situation anyone?)

I’ve seen how the corporation takes responsibility for its actions and addresses controversy when needed. They make sure to send messages out to the company’s employees or “partners” to address major changes or problems in the company.

Tender Loving Coffee is a more intimate experience, which makes the PR pretty fun. So far, there’s been a giveaway on the TLC social channels. Winners picked up their prizes at the Saturday morning Farmer’s Market, where the company sells their coffee in a mobile coffee cart. Being so connected to TLC customers and the Chico community as a whole is a very different experience in comparison to Starbucks.

With the rise of social media, many Starbucks stores have begun to create their own social media presence through Instagram. This helps to create connections with customers and give a more intimate look and feel to your local Starbucks.

I am the closest thing my store has to an in-house PR professional. After establishing the account, I’ve helped create content on the downtown Chico Starbucks Instagram. More recently, I have been documenting the store’s remodel, upcoming specials and developing a more recognizable aesthetic.

While the idea is to connect more with other Starbucks partners and the Chico community, there is a noticeable difference in posting for Tender Loving and Starbucks — even if they are both small accounts.

That’s a no brainer though, right? A small coffee company with less than 300 followers on Instagram versus posting for Starbucks, the multi-billion dollar coffee giant.

Posting on social media for a small, local coffee company is a more interactive experience. The customers are wholeheartedly supportive of TLC. They send direct messages to check on and communicate with Anna, the brains behind the roasting.

I think the idea behind having stores run their own Instagram is to make that connection with their customers like Tender Loving Coffee already has. Through maintaining their social media, I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t for that warm, welcoming feeling Tender Loving gives off effortlessly.

Making connections with PR and coffee is about engagement, having empathy and being a part of a community. Implementing these has already made the downtown Starbucks Instagram and Tender Loving Coffee more successful and gives the companies their own personable identities.