Nearly 90 percent of employers are using social media to connect with potential employees. If you're not using Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to help you find a job, you're missing the boat. According to a survey of U.S. companies by Jobvite, 89 percent plan to recruit through social media this year, up from 83 percent in 2010. About 64 percent say they use more than one social media website. But if you feel like you have to pick just one, make it LinkedIn. The survey found that 73 percent of all social media-based hires came from LinkedIn, with only 20 percent from Facebook and 7 percent from Twitter.
LinkedIn can lead you to some great opportunities but there are some questions to avoid on the professional networking site. Here are 10 of the most common LinkedIn networking mistakes:
1. Can you endorse me?
Lots of us are open networkers, meeting new folks and connecting with them for mutual networking purposes but if you have never met someone or have had little interaction with them it virtually insults their endorsement.
2. Can you help me find a job?
Sorry folks. A recruiter is someone who finds candidates to fill jobs, not someone who finds jobs to employ candidates. This is a very key mistake that many people make.
3. Do you know of any job openings that fit my profile?
Always do your research before contacting someone so you are aware of their position at the company they work for. Make sure that you visit a company's career page and if possible apply online before asking questions regarding jobs. Doing a little bit of homework beforehand will speed up the process and put less of a burden on the person you're asking for help.
4. Can you please send me John Doe's email address?
If folks wanted their email address to be public knowledge, they'd put it right on their profile (and many of them do, so please check there first!).
5. Do you know anyone at Acme Company?
Instead of wasting someone's time and having them search their contacts, run a search yourself. You can easily find out the answer and then send an introduction request to the person (or perhaps someone else in your network) who can introduce you to the perfect target contact. After all, only you know the reason why you want to reach out and who the best contact person at that company might be.
6. I'm interested in a position at Acme Company and would like to apply for position #1234. Can we set up a time to speak?
Great! But please note that I have not worked for "Acme" Company in seven years, so an interview with me won't get you very far… Oops! Please read my profile carefully before reaching out for help.
7. Can you please look at my resume and send me your feedback / suggestions?
Resume writing is a very time-intensive process that requires two-way discussion, extensive editing and re-writing, etc. Professional Resume Writers charge big bucks for their services because it's no easy task.
8. Let's chat on the phone, grab coffee sometime, meet up for lunch, etc.
Often times, these requests are intentionally vague, asking for time on my busy calendar, yet not disclosing the reason for the meeting. It would be much more professional and forthcoming of you to disclose the full details up front so that I can decide if it will be a good investment of my time.
9. Hi Tracy / Hi {FirstName} / Hi trusted friend / Hi James
When reaching out to contacts on LinkedIn, please be sure to get their name right. "Tracy" is close (but still wrong), {FirstName} is clearly some mass email error, and "Trusted Friend" is obviously an impersonal email blast. It's the quickest way to turn off your recipient… please personalize the note and get their name right!
10. Love your picture. Let's link up and will you friend me on Facebook?
LinkedIn is a professional networking site, not Match.com. Please refrain from trying to "pick up" your connections or come across as a stalker! You will most likely be removed as a connection if this is done.
Your article was well-written and highly crisp, easy to understand, thanks a lot for sharing this with me!keep up the good work!
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