What are the Odds …

What are the Odds …
That LinkedIn WILL give job seekers a big-time boost with recruiters?
by Jeff Greene, a special contributor to  LinkingRaleighNC.com

Are you rolling the dice?  Are you ready to double down on the bet that a supersonic profile on the world’s most electrifying professional networking site has the power to bestow your career with a healthy bit-o-fortune?  At the very least, are you aware that LinkedIn is the most popular place to meet those with the power to change your luck?

It’s a fact that millions of professionals are now gambling that their pay-it-forward attitudes and personality plus LinkedIn profiles will generate traffic and pay big dividends in the numbers game quest to achieve professional notoriety.  And, why not?
In my case, by posting an effective profile and by frequently updating the “what are you currently working on” portion of my profile” I’m trumping the numbers game by making win/win connections with those who have given me genuine recommendations and the type of support I need to thrive my way past the unemployment line.  Everyday, I’m one step closer to meeting the person who has the power to consider my strong skills or position me for prime consideration for a “perfect job.”  

By chance, I’ve found the Linking Raleigh, NC group too.  All combined I’m somehow staying visible to hundreds of influential professionals in the triangle area. 

People like Manpower Professional’s Deborah Hill and her staff are part of an endless stream of local recruiters sited by a recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management* who report using LinkedIn as their “best candidate” search tool of choice.

Hill believes that the majority of Human Resource and Hiring Managers are keen on the site today because unlike Careerbuilder.com and Monster.com, LinkedIn is a way to network with professional candidates, build and develop relationships, and cultivate passive job seekers into your next great hire.  And, get this.  She’s not afraid to tell you how she uses it’s power search engine…

“LinkedIn’s database lets me search confidentially from a vast network of interview worthy candidates.  I often search by company name for candidates whose industry experience and competitive advantages are valuable to my clients.  I search for candidates with industry specific qualifications.  I conduct background checks to make certain that resumes and public postings are consistent.  Most importantly, I like that I can contact and pre-screen highly skilled professional candidates almost effortlessly.” --Deborah Hill, Recruiting Manager Manpower Professional, Raleigh, NC

*A study released by the Society for Human Resource Management found that a high percentage of HR professionals use sites like LinkedIn.com to recruit candidates

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