Activate a LinkedIn profile and start answering more questions relevant to your areas of expertise. In the definitive guide to using LinkedIn for business and career management purposes, "I'm on LinkedIn: Now What?", Jason Alba explains that there are six major benefits to using LinkedIn:
- The ability to be known and enhance your personal brand
- The ability to be found by recruiters or other hiring authorities
- The ability to find others and make important connections
- The opportunity to learn and share
- The ability to connect with group members
- The opportunity to show you are plugged in to current technology
2008 is predicted to be a year of economic recession, and everybody is searching for security in this uncertain world. Hotjobs recently listed a few jobs that they believe will be recession-proof. Unfortunately, technology does not figure among the recession-proof sectors. Jobs are in employers control and they are exercising their power accordingly.
Don’t be pressed too hard to find another good source of income, but do spend valuable time doing your research. You could focus on growth industries and jobs requiring specialized knowledge. You could also consider non-profits and public-sector organizations for opportunities, as they tend to be very open during a downturn.
In addition to all this, you should remember that your resume is a marketing tool and not a bio. Focus on how your subject-matter expertise and results-oriented approach will benefit your future employer. "You need to demonstrate throughout — on your resume, your application, and in your communications with a targeted employer — that you have delivered results on the problem the employer is facing," says Phil Wallner, president of Provident Link, an IT and executive recruiting firm.
