Resume & Job Search Tips

The Evolution of LinkedIn Branding

When I first started working on LinkedIn profiles way in 2011, the profile structure was largely the same. What was vastly different, however, was number of people who really got LinkedIn and had a branded, differentiated profile. As a result, when I worked on storytelling, 1^st-person profiles, I got a lot of resistance from clients who “didn’t want to stand out.”  

Thankfully, as more and more people understand the power of personal branding and the importance of telling your story in an authentic voice, I no longer do quite as much influencing and educating around profile style.

How to Brand Yourself on LinkedIn

I love writing LinkedIn profiles because it’s really the only place in your job search collateral portfolio where an authentic, human voice is preferable and your personality can shine through. 

As you look to craft a compelling story, here are 5 things to include and ways to make them your own.

1. Branded Headline. This is the most important real estate on your profile and what a recruiter will notice first in the recruiter app. It should be keyword rich. Don’t be afraid to use all 220 characters but ensure that your target role is at or near the beginning.

• Brand Value Proposition: This is what you do and who you do it for. Ex. I help leaders and high achievers tell better stories. Drop our brand tagline in your headline for maximum impact. 

• High-Value Keywords: Do your research and ensure that you have included the most critical keywords to maximize your exposure to recruiters on the platform. 

• Quantified Achievements: LinkedIn is such a public platform, so this one can get a little tricky. It’s critical not to include any information that could be considered proprietary, by either your clients or the company you work for. On the other hand, it’s YOUR profile and YOUR brand so you’ll need to give consideration to ensuring that you have the evidence to back up claims you make. 

• Recommendations: 3^rd-party proof is one of, if not the most, effective form of marketing. You’ve undoubtedly had a positive impact in current or previous roles, so why not ask for a recommendation that showcases it? A great way to encourage recommendations is to recommend others. It’s also prudent to request recommendations from several sources, such as people you’ve worked on a team with, reported to, and collaborated with on projects.

Do I Really Need a Personal Brand?

Personal branding is often misunderstood. Really, it’s what makes you memorable. Similar to wearing a bright color or having a signature laugh or joke, it is ultimately how you will stand out in a crowded job market.

Be consistent, clear, and deliberate in defining the elements that make up your personal brand and ensure that you keep that focus and hit on those recurring themes throughout your LinkedIn profile. 

Similar to crafting a narrative in a work of fiction, you’ll want to continue to develop your story, building upon thematic elements to create the story arc that will connect, and ultimately convert, your reader.

I saw a post yesterday about cover letters. It was something like “I’d rather eat a whole cardboard box than write a cover letter.” Sound familiar?

This statement is not inaccurate for most! It can be painful, right? It shouldn’t be. Cover letters are your opportunity to share your personality.

They also help you connect the dots between your resume and the role you are targeting, and share more information that doesn’t necessarily translate to a resume in all its formal, telegraphic-style glory.

Clients always ask me if they need a cover letter for every job. The simple answer is no. So, how do you know?

Here are 3 situations that always warrant a cover letter.

There are three situations that always warrant a cover letter.

• Dream jobs, dream companies, any role that meets both your values and skills targets.
• Roles where you have something to say. Ways you’ve interacted with brand, directly transferable and quantified examples, even a relevant anecdote.
• Referrals! Add a note referencing your referral in the cover letter.

What is the purpose of a cover letter?

Your cover letter is your opportunity to showcase your value proposition. Don’t torture yourself – keep it short, sweet, impactful, and targeted.

Using my rating method to rank jobs, all your “A” jobs deserve a cover letter. Take the time to determine why you’re a great fit (hint, it’s not just because you want the job) and express that clearly in your cover letter.

Writing a cover letter for an “A” job helps you showcase your interest. They also help you highlight broad transferable skills for these high-value opportunities.

By going out of your way to identify a hiring manager (and their email) and sending it directly, you’ll make an even stronger first impression.

How should I write my cover letter?

Here’s a structure that I use for my clients.

Dear (Insert Name): Remove this line if you don’t know the contact person’s name.

A strategic thinker who excels at gathering and analyzing data to problem-solve and make decisions, I have always gravitated towards math as the language of science, cultivating a unique combination of technical skills, high-level math abilities, and diverse experience.

Currently, as a Title at Company Name, experience includes tax preparation and planning for increasingly complex entity types, often for multiple clients currently, to deliver returns and guidance in line with federal/state guidelines in multiple states. Highlights include:

• Rental/investment returns for properties valued upwards of $1.5M.
• Partnership returns and guidance yielding long-term EBITDA gains, over 5bps YoY.
• Advising clients on proactive strategies to reduce liabilities by upwards of 10%.

In my spare time, I am always learning and trying new things; I’ve recently begun day trading and have immersed myself in learning everything there is to know about blockchain and cryptocurrencies. My hope is to join a firm like ABC Advisors where that love of learning is at the heart of the culture.

Thanks so much in advance for your consideration. I look forward to connecting and will plan to follow up soon.

Regards,

Rebecca Henninger

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C: 973.270.1777
E: [email protected]

What do hiring managers look for in cover letters?

When writing your cover letter, it’s critical to remember that you are curating the most relevant achievements from your experience. It’s not intended to regurgitate your resume. Instead, your cover letter should serve as the Cliff Notes version or social media post style highlight reel. Your goal is to entice, engage, and convert.

It’s also important to note that very often your cover letter will be read only AFTER someone has skimmed your resume and identified a potential match, so think through how your cover letter could serve as a close-the-deal type piece to influence an interview invite, as well as a hook to get the hiring manager to open your resume.

This is just a simple tracker that literally allows you to keep a running log of all the things you’ve done. It’s not as overwhelming as a resume and ensures you don’t lose access to results! If you don’t have one, start one – you can grab a template here.

If you start at the beginning, your job search becomes much more manageable.

What does this mean?

💡 🄲🄻🄰🅁🄸🅃🅈 – Get clear on your goals so people know how to help you.

💡 🅃🄰🅁🄶🄴🅃🄸🄽🄶 – Once you know what you are looking for, identity the title/function of hiring manager who can help you get there.

💡 🄼🄰🄿🄿🄸🄽🄶 – Find the intersection between your unique set of skills and achievements and market needs. That’s the problem you are uniquely positioned to solve.

💡 🄿🄻🄰🄽🄽🄸🄽🄶 – Be intentional about your networking. Create a spreadsheet for tracking activity or check out my free template linked here in the comments.

If you have a plan in place—and tools to help you get there—you are setting your job search up for success. Rather than blindly sending out resumes, you’re strategically identifying potential opportunities based on the value you bring to the table.