🌟 LinkedIn Profiles are Personal Branding Goldmines! - Optimize Yours for 2024

🌟 Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for 2024

Professionals, especially salespeople, are ace at branding but often overlook personal branding. 🤔 It feels a bit self-centered, right? But hey, ignoring personal branding is a missed opportunity! After all, 87% of recruiters use LinkedIn to source and vet job candidates (source).

LinkedIn profiles are personal branding goldmines. 🌟 Regular updates and sharing content can make a huge impact. Think of your LinkedIn page as a personal marketing powerhouse, constantly evolving with new features to showcase your skills and passions. So, don’t miss out - give your LinkedIn some love and let your personal brand shine! ✨💼🚀

1. Profile Pic 📸: Your LinkedIn photo should be professionally taken if possible, showcasing a friendly yet professional demeanor. It's your first impression, so make it count with a high-quality, well-lit image that aligns with your professional image.

2. Background Photo 🌄: The background photo adds context to your profile. Choose an image that either reflects your professional environment, your industry, or something you're passionate about. It's a visual extension of your professional story.

3. Creative Headline 🏷️: Your headline is more than a job title; it's a brief yet powerful statement about your professional identity. Use it to highlight your specialty, unique skills, or the value you bring.

4. Name Pronunciation 🔊: Uploading a recording of your name's pronunciation can avoid mispronunciations and adds a personal touch, making your profile more approachable and user-friendly.

5. Your Story Summary 📖: The summary section is your opportunity to humanize your profile. Share your professional journey, your passions, and what drives you in your career. Be personable and engaging to connect with viewers.

6. Buzzword Ban 🚫: Replace buzzwords with concrete examples and stories that demonstrate your skills and achievements. Show your value through clear, specific descriptions of your professional experiences.

7. Network Growth 🤝: Actively expand your network by connecting with colleagues, industry leaders, and alumni. Regular engagement and network growth can lead to new opportunities and insights.

8. Relevant Skills ✅: Highlight the skills most relevant to your current career goals. Be strategic in choosing these skills, as they play a critical role in how you're perceived professionally.

9. Endorse Others 👍: Actively endorse skills for your connections. It's a way to strengthen your network and often leads to reciprocal endorsements, adding credibility to your profile.

10. Manage Endorsements 🔄: Curate your endorsements to showcase your most relevant skills. This helps maintain focus on your key professional strengths and expertise.

11. Request Recommendations 📝: Seek personalized recommendations from colleagues and managers. These testimonials provide a deeper insight into your work ethic and professional impact.

12. Showcase Learning 🎓: Display your commitment to professional development by sharing certifications and courses completed. This demonstrates your dedication to staying updated in your field.

13. Share Collaterals 📊: Post and share relevant business materials like whitepapers, presentations, or case studies. This not only showcases your work but also your involvement in your industry.

14. Content Engagement 📰: Regularly share and engage with industry-relevant content. This keeps you active on the platform and positions you as a knowledgeable professional in your field.

15. Add Comments 💬: Provide thoughtful, insightful comments on posts. This can position you as a thought leader and spark meaningful discussions with your network.

16. Follow Influencers 🌟: Stay informed and inspired by following industry leaders and influencers. Their content can provide valuable insights and help keep you engaged with current trends.

17. Creator Mode 📈: This feature enhances your ability to share content and engage with your audience. It can increase your visibility and influence on the platform.

18. Spotlight Services 🛠️: If you're a consultant or freelancer, use this section to detail the services you offer. It's an effective way to market your skills and attract potential clients.

19. Collaborative Articles 📚: Participate in LinkedIn's collaborative articles to share your knowledge. It's a great way to contribute to your community and enhance your professional reputation.

20. Sales Navigator 🚀: Consider using Sales Navigator for advanced networking and sales opportunities. It can be a powerful tool for reaching out to potential clients and expanding your professional network.

Bottom line, take pride in your LinkedIn profile as it is where the recruiters and hiring managers do all of their bidding.

📉 Notable Layoffs this Week

Layoff Counter

13240 employees from 72 tech companies laid of 2024 so far

• German software company SAP is laying off 8,000 jobs as part of a restructuring, CNBC reports. SAP employed about 108,000 people at the end of 2023.

• EBay is cutting 1,000 workers, or 9% of its full-time employees, and reducing its contractors to save money, Bloomberg reports.

• Used-car company Vroom is cutting 800 workers, or 90% of its workforce, and shutting down its e-commerce operations, Pymnts writes.

• Design company Figma is offering buyouts to employees a month after its merger with Adobe fell through, Forbes reports.

• Fintech firm Brex is laying off 20% of its workforce, or about 282 jobs, amid slower revenue growth, The Information says.

• TikTok has cut about 60 jobs primarily in advertising and sales, TechCrunch writes, a potential sign that the social media company's growth is declerating.

• Riot Games has laid off 11% of its global staff, or about 530 people, CNN reports.

• X, the moonshot lab at Alphabet, is cutting dozens of jobs, Bloomberg reports. The news comes after YouTube reduced its 7,200-person headcount by about 100 employees and Alphabet’s CEO warned of more reductions to come. Google, too, has eliminated over 1,000 jobs in its ad sales and devices-and-services divisions.

• Wayfair is reducing its global workforce by 13%, cutting 1,650 jobs as part of a restructuring, CNBC writes.

📊 ‘Information’ Sector Lost 92,000 Jobs Year-Over-Year

Alright, job seekers in the tech world, here's a fun and easy breakdown of what's happening in the job market! 🚀

Despite some stormy weather with job cuts in the tech sector, it's not all gloomy skies. 🌧️🌤️ The "Information" sector, which includes a lot more than just our favorite tech giants, lost about 92,000 jobs. But, hold on!

Most of these losses were in the old-school areas like newspapers and Hollywood, not the shiny, high-tech zones. The cool tech stuff like web hosting and data processing? They're still pretty solid, with just a tiny dip in jobs. Sure, 2023 felt a bit bumpy compared to the rocketing growth we've seen before, but it's more like a pause than a full stop. So, keep your chin up and your coding skills sharp - the tech world still has lots of opportunities waiting for you!

Here are your takeaways: 🎉

• 🌐 The broader "Information" sector lost 92,000 jobs, but it's not just tech.

• 📰🎬 The bigger job losses were in traditional areas, not the new tech sectors.

• 🦾 The new tech areas (like data processing) only saw a 1% job drop.

• 📉 2023 was a bit of a slowdown, but it's just a pause, not a crash.

• 🚀 Tech is still a land of opportunity, so stay positive and ready for action!

🛠️ Job Seeker Tools

TechInterviewer.ai

app.techinterviewer.ai

This platform honestly gave me the chills within the first 10 seconds of using it. After enabling my microphone, a very human-like British voice came through my speakers explaining that we were about to conduct a design interview. He gave me some instructions and I white-boarded some ideas. He then proceeded to assess my work and give eerily accurate feedback. We are truly in a new age of interview prep 🤯.

Resume Now

www.resume-now.com

Yes, another resume builder. However, I will say that these resume platforms are getting more and more streamlined and using AI in very useful ways. This builder will design for ATS, as most do, but it does give you more design control which most builders do not.

Levels.FYI App

apps.apple.com/us/app/levels-fyi

The levels.fyi that you know and love to get the most accurate insights into the salary that you should be making at a particular company can now be experienced in a native mobile app. Filter salaries by role, location, company, and more. Compensation data right at your fingertips.

Join a Network of Job Seekers 🥳

The Offboard Community offers an alternative to LinkedIn, providing a unique space tailored for job seekers in tech. It’s not just a platform for networking; it’s a resource designed to help you regain your footing and advance in your tech career, supported by the knowledge and experiences of your peers.

Below are some of the community features:

1. Create an anonymous account or join as yourself

2. Discussion or ask for help re: layoffs, interviewing, resumes, money & finance, upskilling, and more!

3. Jobs: Find or refer jobs, and engage in our live job chat space

4. Watercooler Chat: Just looking for a general place to chat with other job seekers? Jump into the Watercooler.

5. Join Virtual Events (Coming Soon)

Curious if your company has a layoff planned?

Look into the crystal ball to see if your company has a layoff coming up by leveraging federally mandated WARN notices!

www.warntracker.com