What Makes Someone a LinkedIn Super Connector

What Makes Someone a LinkedIn Super Connector How many super connectors do you know on LinkedIn? Are you one of them? What is a super connector? Lets start with the basics. A super connector is basically someone that is very well connected (no surprise here). The author Keith Ferrazzi uses the term in his book Never Eat Alone, heres his definition: “Super Connectors are people who maintain contact with thousands of people in many different worlds and know them well enough to give them a call. Restauranteurs, headhunters, lobbyists, fundraisers, public relations people, politicians, and journalists are the best super-connectors because it’s their job to know  EVERYONE.” I think we all know people like these, people whose name keeps popping up here and there in different contexts. So who is a super connector on LinkedIn? Some would say that anyone with 500+ connections is a super connector. I would probably say 1,000 makes you super at connecting. The poll below used 3,000 connections as the threshold into super connectivity. If you feel like checking out some real life super connectors on LinkedIn, have a look at Neal Schaffers post listing  10 LinkedIn LIONs and Super Connectors. But hang on, its not about the size Let me add the obligatory disclaimer here so I dont get too many angry comments about quality vs. quality, engagement vs. broadcasting, farmers vs. hunters etc etc etc. This post is only about the numbers, what you do with your connections is another matter. The fact that someone has amassed thousands of connections does indicate that they have an ability to connect with other people (or they just trawl LinkedIn 24/7). What percentage of LinkedIn users are super connectors? A LinkedIn poll conducted by Michael Field Pty Ltd has identified LinkedIn super connectors (with at least 3,ooo connections). They asked 1,006 LinkedIn members exactly how many connections they have. The findings: 54% of respondents have less than 500 connections 27% have between 500-999 12% have between 1,000-1,999 3% have between 2,000-2,999 4% have 3,000+ connections So only 4% or one LinkedIn user in 25 have more than 3,000 connections and can call themselves super connectors here. Most folks have less than 500 connections which makes perfect sense. The first 500 connections are the most difficult to get, from there LinkedIn tends to snowball in the users favor and before they know it theyve hit 1k. Where are you on this scale, how many connections do you have? Do you feel that the connections you have are enough for your networking efforts? Related reading: LinkedIn Open Networker (LION) a bad idea?

Focus on Benefits and Buyer Motivation to Make Sales - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Focus on Benefits and Buyer Motivation to Make Sales - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career One mistake made by many new business owners is focusing on the features of their products or services when advertising. Having great features is important to building a successful business, but advertising features is not the most effective way to market your product or service. Consumers don’t care much about your great features. What they care about is how your great features can help them. In other words, you need to translate your features into the value they give your customer. Being fast is a feature, whereas same-day delivery is a benefit. When reframing your features into benefits, you also need to consider why your market will by your product or service. There are many reasons consumers buy, but here are three common motivations and how you can use them to entice buyers. Solve a problem: Solving a problem is one of the most common reasons people buy. Successful marketers understand this and as a result they sell the solution. Ted Levitt famously said, “People dont want to buy a quarter-inch drill, they want a quarter-inch hole.” If a man needs a drill to make a hole, he doesn’t care so much about the drill’s weight, number of bits or warranty as much as being able to drill a hole. The successful drill marketer will sell the hole not the drill. If your product or service can solve a problem, focus on selling the solution. If you sell diet products, focus health, energy and sex appeal over losing fat. If you’re chiropractor, sell pain-free, active living over straight backs and adjustments. Feel good: Many people buy to make themselves feel better.  Do women really need a Prada bag? Probably not. But owning one makes them feel good.  We see this phenomena each time Apple introduces a knew i-product. People are lined up around the stores wanting to have the latest and greatest gadget. There are plenty of other gadgets these people can own, but they spend hours, maybe even days in line because having the new i-product makes them feel good. But feeling good isn’t just about prestige, importance or superficiality. Consumers buy healthy foods or organic products because it makes them feel good. Many people buy from socially conscious businesses because they enjoy the feeling that they’re a part of a movement or helping others. People like to feel successful, cool, hip and sexy, which is why many marketers use tactics that suggest their products can lead to these feelings. Fear: I’m not a big fan of catering to fear, but it is an effective method of marketing. People are afraid of many things, real and imagined. As a result, they like to buy things that alleviate their fears, whether it’s a security system to avoid home invasions, financial products to avoid poverty, or vitamins to avoid poor health. If your product can help eliminate fear, your focus should be on selling the feeling of security. There are many other reasons people choose to buy from one business over another. These reasons include convenience, price, loyalty and more. Whatever their motivation for buying is, it’s your job to tap into it by creating marketing materials that speak to their needs and wants. This is done by converting the features that make your business great into benefits that meet your market’s needs and desires. Author: Leslie Truex  is a career design expert who has been helping people find or create work that fits their lifestyle goals since 1998 through her  website Work-At-Home Success. She is the author of “The Work-At-Home Success Bible” and “Jobs Online: How To Find a Get Hired to a Work-At-Home Job”. She speaks regularly on career-related topics including telecommuting and home business.

3 Technology Trends that are Revolutionizing Corporate Wellness

3 Technology Trends that are Revolutionizing Corporate Wellness A healthy workplace is a happy workplace, and a happy workplace is a far more productive one. A salary alone is no longer enough to retain your employees, nor is it enough to attract and recruit future talent. Corporate wellness has become a social responsibility that employees and future talent want, need and expect from you. According to Gallup, nearly 6 in 10 millennials looking for work say that workplace wellbeing is “very important to them”. As an employer, and recruiter, you really should be doing all you can to ensure that the wellness of your employees, and your workplace, is of the highest standard. Therefore we have put together three essential technology trends you need to know about, that companies from all around the world are adopting to promote a healthier, happier and more productive working environment for their employees. 1. Wearable technology Wearable technology is definitely a thing, and one of the more prevalent uses of it is to help people monitor their daily fitness activities, such as how many steps they have taken and how many calories they have burned. Its a cost-effective solution, and thats why organizations from around the world have incorporated this technology into their corporate wellness programs. The most popular wearable technology today is Fitbit, with customers such as BP, Adobe, GNC, Barclays and more all providing their staff with Fitbit’s wearable fitness trackers to help them monitor their wellbeing, and more importantly, promote a healthier workplace. For example, Barclays subsidized Fitbit devices to 75,000 employees in the U.S and U.K as part of its Global Wellness Program in 2015, in order to offer a better balance between work and life for their busy employees. Companies like Barclays understand the benefits of a healthy working environment, and continue to promote different corporate wellness initiatives to keep their employees happy, healthy and efficient. 2. Gamification programs The term ‘gamification’ revolves around the premise of a reward system through some sort of game, and it has become prevalent in the world of employer branding due to the ways in which it motivates and engages employees in exciting ways that develop their skills, and ultimately help them achieve their goals. Forbes report that organizations such as the Marriott and Deloitte use gamification programs to recruit, develop and motivate employees with specifically designed games that help them understand the role they are undertaking.   There also many health-focused gamification programs out there you can adopt such as Walkingspree, an award winning online corporate walking program that features virtual walks, challenges and competitions, or WeFitter, a mobile app that gives your employees points for any exercise they do in a manner that is designed to promote healthy competition between them. What ever method you decide to undertake, gamification programs are a great way of challenging your employees in a healthy and engaging manner. 3. Mobile Apps Nowadays there’s an app for everything, and thats especially true to health and lifestyle-based apps. They are accessible at just the click of a button, and you should be ensuring that your employees understand what tools are out there. Headspace, for instance, is a popular meditation program that promotes various mindfulness and mental health techniques, with giants such as Google and Linkedin known to be subsidizing subscriptions for all their employees. Helping your employees keep a stable and positive state of mind is a no-brainer when it comes to their productivity. Another important factor is sleep, and the effects of poor sleep are seriously damaging to the wellbeing of your workplace. A simple way to combat this is to promote sleep apps such as Clock and Sleep Genius, applications that are designed to help people monitor their sleeping patterns, as well as help them sleep with specially designed music. Lucy Tallick, Head of Wellbeing  at Reward Gateway, says: Corporate wellness is a hot topic and one that so many of our clients are focusing on. But there is no doubt it’s not easy! It can’t be treated as a band aid or a tick box solution. Preventable wellness strategies are all about helping employees to improve their lifestyle, change habits and make healthier choices. Unfortunately, this cannot be achieved in a simple fitness app or one-size-fits-all wellness solution. There are lots of fantastic tech initiatives to choose from but these alone are not going to move the dial on corporate wellness. The best tech initiatives that support a wellbeing strategy are those that the individual employee can tailor to their own needs, for example there are a number of mindfulness initiatives that the employee can personalise to their own needs, nutritional and exercise support and education that brings all levels of support into one place to cater for you whatever your choice. This way an employee can choose their own personal route to wellness. Maren Hogan, CEO and Founder of Red Branch Media, says: At Red Branch Media, were pretty small. That means our steps toward corporate wellness are pretty incremental. But we realize how important it is to have happy, healthy employees. So we have lots of opportunities for our employees to move around, the most consistent being our daily walks. Its about 20-30 minutes where the employees gets outside and walk around the neighborhood. Part of this is because getting outside is amazing for creativity but another part is just the movement of it all. We also have a bike desk that people take turns on. As weve experimented with it, we realize that repetitive tasks (editing, filling social queues, invoicing) are the best tasks for something like this. Additional, we have balance boards, stair steppers that go under the desk, a pool and ping-pong table and even a small trampoline, which is probably some sort of insurance risk. This all adds up to a company that believes in movement and wellness from the get-go. I hope we can keep it up as we grow. Of course how much time and effort your employees put into maintaining their health and fitness is totally up to them.  Although we highly reccomend that as an employer you embrace trends like the ones we have listed because it tells  your employees that they can not only thrive professionally, but also physically and mentally while at work.

Managers - Find out How to Get Your Resume Read

Managers - Find out How to Get Your Resume Read It is no secret that a well-written resume can shorten a job search.   f the resume is written in a modern format and demonstrates value to the reader, it will be difficult to overlook especially in a sea of resumes that tend to all look alike. If you are a manager seeking advancement, higher compensation, or greater challenge you have to prove to the hiring authorities that you have what it takes to lead, direct, and deliver. An average resume, with average content, will only make you look just that average.  And you NEVER call yourself average,  right?! There are 4 critical inclusions that you need in your management-level resume to ensure it positions you favorably for the coveted leadership role: 1. Well-rounded skill set 2. Self-starting attitude 3. Problem resolution 4. Forward-thinking abilities Each of the above categories need to be properly massaged into a modern resume format to elicit interest.    Get the full breakdown on each of these four categories and more in my recent post on LinkedIn:   4 Secrets to Writing a Must-Read Management Resume Learn more about my career document creation for senior-level professionals like yourself (managers to executives) at Career Impressions.

Resume Writing For Job Interview - An Experts Tips

Resume Writing For Job Interview - An Expert's TipsIf you have a lot of experience in a particular industry, you should try to showcase that in your resume writing for job interview. Your potential employer will get an idea of your skills and what you can bring to the organization if they ever had to hire you. What you can do is to focus on areas that are specific to your field. This may include information about what you have accomplished in your career, any awards or accomplishments that are relevant to your company or job, and how you will benefit the organization if hired.Keep the main message clear and concise. Many applicants are too vague in their resume writing for job interview. The potential employer is not going to understand everything in it makes the resume seem unfocused. It is important to clearly state exactly what you did to obtain the position and what you can bring to the organization.Include a summary of all your career paths and education in your resume. By using career paths, you will be able to get an idea of how much experience you have and where you can fit into the organization's current business strategy. If you were recently out of school and have limited experience, you may want to highlight that information. Even someone who has not been out of school in a while may be tempted to use this type of career path when describing his or her past experiences.Remember that your career goals and interests may change throughout your career. Make sure that you are aware of these changes so that you are more likely to highlight what has stayed the same as well as what has changed. For example, if you were once a stay-at-home mom but now are the primary caregiver for your children, you may want to include that in your resume. Be sure to take this into account when writing your resume.In addition to listing the jobs you have held, it is always a good idea to list the professional organizations that you belong to and that you can offer to your po tential employer. You might not be asked about this information during an interview but it could be included in your written resume. You never know who will need to contact you with professional credentials.You should also make sure that you list the key job responsibilities for each job. These will often be listed under your name or your title at the organization. Being clear about what you did will show that you have done the necessary research and have taken the time to include it in your resume.Don't forget to go over your resume a few times to check for spelling mistakes and to ensure that it is flowing properly. Many applicants tend to write their resumes quickly and are not able to go back and review it carefully. If you have had many years to write your resume, that should not be an issue. Once you have submitted your resume, it will be too late to fix it.Finally, don't put too much emphasis on your resume. A great resume is only as good as its content and a potential employ er may not even see it. Try to add some extra information to the end of your resume that will help you stand out.

Loyalty A Dead Workplace Value - Pathfinder Careers

Loyalty A Dead Workplace Value - Pathfinder Careers Loyalty: A Dead Workplace Value? I keep hearing a word that pops up regularly that is completely alarming when I ask job seekers to describe themselves. The conversation usually goes like something like this: Me: “Ok, now tell me some of your personal strengths and attributes that make you good for this type of job.” Job seeker: “I’m driven, dedicated, and extremely loyal.” STOP. Let’s interrupt this conversation to have a frank discussion about “loyal.” It always gives me pause because of its contradictory nature when used in the job search process. Semantics mean everything, and this word requires us to dig a little deeper to uncover a huge problem in its use. This brings up two fundamental questions: Question #1: If an applicant is so loyal, then why are they leaving the employer? -or- Question #2:  Why arent companies loyal to dedicated employees instead of  laying them off? Isn’t this expression of ‘loyalty’ technically supposed go both ways? Employees are supposed to be loyal to companies… and companies are supposed to be loyal to good employees, right? Today’s reality sure doesn’t look that way. FACT: We spend a significant portion of our lifetime in the workplace… sometimes even more than we spend with our families, on average. The math doesn’t lie: Out of 168 hours in an entire week, we spend approximately 40 sleeping, 73 on our own time, 10 hours commuting, and 45+ hours in the office environment (including lunch time). Out of our entire waking time during any given week, we spend at least 41% in our place of work. That’s a significant chunk. With that amount of time being spent with co-workers, it’s easy to come to think of this group somewhat as a ‘second family’ â€" a natural assumption given the complex array of relationships that evolve in working so closely with a group of people over so many hours. But there’s an emotional connection in there as well, which goes deeper than the perfunctory professional connection. People bond with their fellow employees and supervisors, and there’s a sense of belonging and security that results. Workers are motivated and inspired to throw themselves into their work and oftentimes, exceed what is being asked of them in an effort to help push the company forward. They invest trust in the management and owners in that the executives have the employees collective back. Then one of three scenarios happens: 1) The unthinkable. Business drops off, or there’s a change in organizational leadership. Things end up not being the way they used to be. There are more closed-door meetings, and morale might plummet as a result. Staff members don’t like the new management or direction, and begin looking for new opportunities and want to jump ship. In other cases, changes like these can mean a pink slip. Struggling to understand, the employees are devastated. “I put my heart and soul into that company!” “I worked hundreds of hours of overtime and never noted it just to get the project done on time.”“I loved my job and always got good reviews… what happened?” 2) The flattery of the competitive offer. You’ve worked hard, and it’s been noticed. Competitors try to snatch you away from your current employer and gee, it’s too good to resist so off you go. 3) Boredom / Disconnect. Sometimes, there is simply a shift away from the employer’s engagement in the employee, and the worker begins to feel disconnected and alienated. That’s when they begin looking for new opportunities to learn new things, be challenged, or move to the next level of their career because there is nowhere else to grow. How we think about the workplace needs to shift. Sure there are a lot of warm fuzzies that are part of any corporate or business culture, which makes you part of a team. And team chemistry is an important part of the equation. But don’t forget, for even one moment, that the workplace is first and foremost a business environment, and your being there is a mutual business decision. Companies make personnel decisions based on business, not loyalty.   Some still allow loyalty to be factored into decision making, but that is quickly being phased out. Its all about dollar and cents now. Look at this way: You made a business decision to work for them based on the compensation and work that you would be doing, and they have hired you to do a job based on your skills and performance. Ultimately, I’m becoming ever convinced that loyalty in the workplace has become obsolete. Long gone are the allegiances that employees make to a company that seem forever binding, and stay in the same position for time immemorial until they retire. And  conversely, employers may overlook long-serving employees and see an opportunity to eliminate  dead wood, infuse new ideas, and  trim overhead costs. Loyalty expressed now in a résumé or cover letter almost seems a quaint, outdated expression instead of a statement of integrity these days. So what do you think? Do you think employee loyalty exists still? Do employers still express loyalty to long-serving employees? Or is this all about to be erased?

Summary Sunday 7 Articles That Will Upgrade Your Job Search

Summary Sunday 7 Articles That Will Upgrade Your Job Search Feeling burned-out? Ready to try something new? Then maybe  its time to upgrade your job search. These 7 articles will change how you go about searching  for a job. Get tips on how to avoid the ATS black-hole, build a better online reputation, improve how you use LinkedIn, mistakes to avoid during an interview and even, how to avoid burnout! JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES A Bunch of Free Radical Ideas for Getting a Job that Beat Applying by Lou Adler on LinkedIn Stuck in your job search? I guarantee, if you try any of these tips, you will see results! And as Adler says, stop wasting time applying directly or complaining about the unfairness of the process. LINKEDIN Ten Things Every Job-Seeker Should Be Doing On LinkedIn by Liz Ryan, Human Workplace | Forbes These are 10 tips to help you get more bang for your buck on LinkedIn. I would caution against adding ISO or announcing your eligibility in your headline. Instead,  go to the  Jobs tab and turn on the function that lets  recruiters know you’re open to new opportunities. Most people looking for a good hire dont care about this status. If you have what they are looking for, theyll reach out! INTERVIEWING These Are the Worst Things You Can Do In a Job Interview, and You’ve Probably Done Them Answer by Adam Seabrook, Co-founder of Betterteam, on Quora | Huffington Post See what a recruiter says are 7 horrible mistakes candidates make.  Seabrook says: I rarely give candidates feedback on red flags they give off during interviews, mostly because it is really hard to deliver this feedback without offending them. I spent ten  years as a recruiter and interviewed thousands of candidates. How to Negotiate a New Job Offer by Hannah Morgan | Payscale Learn how to negotiate a job offer because you only get one chance. This is one of many articles in Payscales Salary Negotiation Guide! (And I was thrilled to be asked to contribute.) CAREER How to Pull Yourself Back From the Brink of Burnout by Jessica Stillman | Inc. Here are 8 early warning signs that you are headed for a burnout. Early detection will help you put a plan in place to prevent a complete collapse. Many of these early warning signs have been extracted from an article by Alan Henry on LifeHacker. ONLINE REPUTATION Building Online Reputation: Controlling the Way the World Sees You [Infographic] on YouTern What does your online reputation say about you… right now? This infographic walks you through the steps to create better online visibility and improve your online reputation! Thanks to   Internet Search Engine Marketing  for creating this.