The primary social networking sites appropriate for senior executives include LinkedIn.com, eCademy.com, and Xing.com. There are also membership sites such as ExecuNet.com, RiteSite.com, and Netshare.com, and others that also allow you to post a profile for member-to-member networking purposes. Then, there are the more casual sites such as Facebook.com, Twitter.com, Flickr.com, MySpace.com, Orkut.com, and approximately 300 others.
Before creating and posting your profile, review each site to reveal the culture and tone of the site and determine the appropriate approach and amount of information you want to share. Sites like Facebook and Twitter are much more conversational than the others and you'll want to adjust your writing style accordingly. Some sites have fill-in-the-box screens and they step you through the process. Others offer recommendations for categories you can include, and others are completely free form.
Whichever sites you choose, follow these tips for maximum effectiveness.
Be consistent with your name.
To eliminate any confusion with recruiters or potential employers, be consistent with the name you use online, particularly for job search purposes. Your online name should match your name on your resume.
Write in first party.
Write your profile as if you were writing a cover letter ... slightly more conversational than your resume ... but with limited use of personal pronouns (I and my).
Reverse chronological order.
Begin your profile with your most recent experience first. Only go back ten to fifteen years, unless you need to include earlier experience to support a field you are currently pursuing.
Write professionally.
This could be your "first impression" with a recruiter or potential employer. Create a powerful headline or tag line that captures the reader's attention and persuades the reader to want to know more about you. You want your profile summary to be an "executive snapshot" with top-level information regarding the value you bring to a company, what makes you uniquely different, as well as your functional and industry expertise.
State your value proposition.
Validate your experience in solving specific problems by including three to five examples of how you deliver value to the employers' bottom line or top line.
State your expertise.
Be specific about your expertise. Appearing like a generalist who can do fourteen functions can make you appear as thought you are unfocused. Most companies are looking for executives with deep experience in a particular function and industry. They are looking for the "perfect fit."
Make your executive brand clear.
Include your inborn qualities that differentiate you from others. Mention what you are recognized for or are an evangelist for. Your brand must project a clear value proposition that transcends any doubt in the readers’ mind.
Use jargon carefully.
Using common industry jargon is fine if you are targeting the same industry, however, avoid using company-specific jargon that few people will understand. It may confuse or intimidate the reader.
Check your spelling.
Most online networking sites do not have spell checkers. As a senior executive, it is imperative to have an error-free profile. Typing errors and misspelled words will prevent you from coming up in the recruiter’s key word searches.
Complete your profile.
Many sites have some type of an indicator that displays the percentage of the completeness of your profile based on the number of categories you complete. According to LinkedIn, users with complete profiles are 40 times more likely to find opportunities through their site.
Bottom Line
Complete your profile as though your career depends on it ... because it very well might.
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© Copyright, 2009, Beverly Harvey. Beverly Harvey has been coaching senior-level and C-level executives in job search, career transition and career management for over 17 years. She has helped thousands of executives land their next position quickly. Beverly is the founder of HarveyCareers.com and holds eight certifications in resume writing, branding, job search, career transition and career management. She is a resume expert for six executive job boards; contributor to more than 20 career books; Director of the Job Search Academy; and is the author of Career News & Trends. She can be reached at 386-749-3111 or 888-775-0916.
