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Whether you’re job hunting or exploring part-time contract work, LinkedIn is the place to be for professional networking.
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I think of a LinkedIn profile as a living, breathing résumé that you can update easily to showcase your decades of know-how and talent with photos, articles, presentations and more. Your profile highlights your talents in a deeper, more personal way than a one-page paper résumé can ever do.
LinkedIn is also the place to find connections who can give you the inside scoop on a job opening or make an introduction for you. You can dig up information on companies and positions that interest you and do some quiet sleuthing about people who’ll be interviewing you.
In short, an active presence on LinkedIn is nonnegotiable for older job seekers. Not being there, in fact, could kill your chances for a job. It means you’re viewed as yesterday’s candidate.
So when you’re searching for a job, make sure you’ve got a profile — and then go on to leverage three cool new features that LinkedIn has rolled out in recent months.
Career Advice
This connects members across the network for mentorship and practical advice on everything from changing careers to how to ask for a raise. “More than 80 percent of professionals on LinkedIn have stated they either want to have a mentor or be one to others. But knowing where to start can be the trickiest part,” says Catherine Fisher, LinkedIn’s career expert.
The concept has a twofold appeal for boomers. “You can give advice to younger workers in areas where they might be struggling, such as developing stronger leadership or better communication skills,” notes Jayne Mattson, senior vice president of Keystone Associates, a career management firm in Boston.
You can also get advice, from those members of Generation X and Y. “Since later-stage career professionals will be working for younger managers, knowing how to interview with them, what skills are in high demand [in your area of expertise] … will enhance your search,” Mattson says.
If you’re eyeing an encore career change, the "Career Advice" feature is a way to tap someone in the target field to learn more. Many people will be flattered by your interest in what they do, even if the relationship is virtual. They’ll love to talk about their careers and share their stories.
To get started, go to the dashboard on your LinkedIn profile and find the "Career Advice" hub. From there, enter the type of advice you’re looking to give or receive, and the site will instantly recommend members based on what you’ve specified.
Two quibbles: