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Part 2 Lay smart foundations

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Create an effective Linkedin profile

Part 2 – Lay smart foundations – Page 18

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Current

Past

Education

Recommendations

Connections

Public Profile

Chief executive officer, Outsourcing industry

Chief Executive Officer at ABC CorpDirector/VP (Sales) at CapAm Golbal

MBA, InseadBA Hons Business Studies

Business development director at XYZ Global Services/CWP

X recommendationsX connectionshttp://uk.linkedin.com/pub/kris-roughan

Chief executive officerUnited Kingdom Outsourcing Industry

Kris Roughan

Kris’s Connections (XX)

See all Connections

Iwasa Formakolege Job title and position

Connection name Job title and position

Contact Information

Email & Phone:

View/Edit Contact Info

[email protected] primary

Tags:Edit tags

Notes:

See all contacts

Accomplished CEO with routes in sales and sales management augmented by an MBA. I amparticularly interested in helping businesses bring about sea-change or significant growth. Senior colleagues have repeatedly told me they value the clarity I bring to setting goals, gaining consensus to achieve these across key stakeholders and knowing how these can be drilled down: and that they admire my infectious enthusiasm in helping the business win in the marketplace and bring management support to critical/competitive sales.

Summary

Experience

ABC Corp is a UK publicly-quoted business process outsourcer. Key offerings are the provision of finance & accounting, HR and contact centre outsourcing. $5B revenue company, 4,000 staff and has on & off-shore operations in six countries.

Appointed with a remit to turn a loss making entity into a profitable one, achieved in 2011 and for subsequent revenue and profit growth of the business, to increase stock price / company value to the shareholders.

Chief Executive OfficerABC CorpIndustry TypeMarch 2009 - Present

Global consulting firm (100k+ employees) with mainstream offerings of management consulting, outsourcing (F&A, HR and ITO) and systems integration.

Director of newly-created UK sales team focused purely on selling BPO.Identified high growth target markets (media, tech and telecoms) and proposition types(F&A and contact centre).Grew team to 12 person sales / bid team which proceeded to win 23 deals over 3 years, c $300m.

Director / VP (Sales)CapAm GlobalIndustry TypeDecember 2004 - February 2009

Player manager role, personally carrying a target and overseeing 2 other sales leads.Selling consultancy, systems integration and ITO outsourcing.Exceeded quotas 2003 & 2004, won deals millions and tens of millions.

Business Development DirectorXYZ Global Services / CWPIndustry Type2002 - 2004

A sales lead role to gain meetings with “C” level execs, advocate the benefits of outsourcing and close deals.Achieved targets upwards of £20m signings each year.

Sales LeadXYZ Global Services / CWPIndustry Type1997 - 2001

Business development / sales role – selling business continuity and disaster recovery.

Sales ExecutiveC Business ContinuityIndustry Type1987 - 2005

Skills & Expertise

General Management Sales & Marketing BPO, ITO Industry Sectors

F&A, HR and Customer Services Outsourcing

Education

Educational EstabishmentMBA, Instead2006

Educational EstabishmentBA Hons Business StudiesYear

Recommendations for Kris

Chief Executive OfficerABC Corp

“Kris is the most serious and effective professional at top management I ever met. Her ‘knife’cuts straight forward and is completely results oriented. However, she has the fairness tounderstand business as "human" and she has the ability to motivate and protect her team‘against all odds’.She is a true leader, with her own style of simplicity and rigor.”

Chuck RogersDirector and Regional Manager, ABC Corp June 5th 2008

Director / VP (Sales)CapAm Global

“Kris is a great manager to work for. While being very competitive and results-oriented, shealso provides great support to win deals and run the business. She is second to none when itcomes to building highly motivated and successful sales teams. The "can-do" attitude andconstant desire to grow people further are highly infectious.”

Chris SmithSales Director CapAm Global August 21, 2009

Business Develpoment DirectorXYZ Global Services

“Kris was a wonderful Director and consultative Leader. She provided valuable knowledgeand support in my role and worked closely with me to ensure a high level of service wasdelivered to my business partners at all times.Sophie took the time to coach and encourage me in my role and career and develop mypersonal impact.”

Kelly RowlandCustomer Services Manager, XYZ Global Services July 14, 2010

Make sure the job title you choose to

use (located beneath your name in the

headline), properly reflects what you do,

is unambiguous and is therefore not open to

misinterpretation.

In the ‘Summary’ section write a

compelling profile which showcases your skills and professional passions – include key words relevant to your

industry experience and discipline which

people may search on.

Your photo – a professional pose

and smiling.

When detailing your ‘Experience’ don’t

include as much information as

you would on a conventional CV.

Consider including a one or two line

description of your employer’s line of

business.

It needs to be clear to a prospective

employer what you do, ideally what you

have contributed, what you can do / can

contribute.

Publish a private email address into the profile

Here’s an example of a Linkedin profile. You will find further tips on

pages 20 & 21.




Create an effective Linkedin profile


http://www.linkedin.com/pro�le

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Account Type: Basic | Upgrade

Contacts GroupsHome Profile Jobs Inbox Companies News More1 AdvancedPeople

Kris Roughan Add Connections

Share PDF Print

Improve your Profile View profile

Send Kris a messageRecommend KrisSave Kris’s Profile ?

Kris’s Activity


Read more 1 hour ago


Read more 5 hours ago

See more Activity

Post an update

Current

Past

Education

Recommendations

Connections

Public Profile

Chief executive officer, Outsourcing industry

Chief Executive Officer at ABC CorpDirector/VP (Sales) at CapAm Golbal

MBA, InseadBA Hons Business Studies

Business development director at XYZ Global Services/CWP

X recommendationsX connectionshttp://uk.linkedin.com/pub/kris-roughan

Chief executive officerUnited Kingdom Outsourcing Industry

Kris Roughan

Kris’s Connections (XX)

See all Connections

Iwasa Formakolege Job title and position

Connection name Job title and position

Contact Information

Email & Phone:

View/Edit Contact Info

[email protected] primary

Tags:Edit tags

Notes:

See all contacts

Accomplished CEO with routes in sales and sales management augmented by an MBA. I amparticularly interested in helping businesses bring about sea-change or significant growth. Senior colleagues have repeatedly told me they value the clarity I bring to setting goals, gaining consensus to achieve these across key stakeholders and knowing how these can be drilled down: and that they admire my infectious enthusiasm in helping the business win in the marketplace and bring management support to critical/competitive sales.

Summary

Experience

ABC Corp is a UK publicly-quoted business process outsourcer. Key offerings are the provision of finance & accounting, HR and contact centre outsourcing. $5B revenue company, 4,000 staff and has on & off-shore operations in six countries.

Appointed with a remit to turn a loss making entity into a profitable one, achieved in 2011 and for subsequent revenue and profit growth of the business, to increase stock price / company value to the shareholders.

Chief Executive OfficerABC CorpIndustry TypeMarch 2009 - Present

Global consulting firm (100k+ employees) with mainstream offerings of management consulting, outsourcing (F&A, HR and ITO) and systems integration.

Director of newly-created UK sales team focused purely on selling BPO.Identified high growth target markets (media, tech and telecoms) and proposition types(F&A and contact centre).Grew team to 12 person sales / bid team which proceeded to win 23 deals over 3 years, c $300m.

Director / VP (Sales)CapAm GlobalIndustry TypeDecember 2004 - February 2009

Player manager role, personally carrying a target and overseeing 2 other sales leads.Selling consultancy, systems integration and ITO outsourcing.Exceeded quotas 2003 & 2004, won deals millions and tens of millions.

Business Development DirectorXYZ Global Services / CWPIndustry Type2002 - 2004

A sales lead role to gain meetings with “C” level execs, advocate the benefits of outsourcing and close deals.Achieved targets upwards of £20m signings each year.

Sales LeadXYZ Global Services / CWPIndustry Type1997 - 2001

Business development / sales role – selling business continuity and disaster recovery.

Sales ExecutiveC Business ContinuityIndustry Type1987 - 2005

Skills & Expertise

General Management Sales & Marketing BPO, ITO Industry Sectors

F&A, HR and Customer Services Outsourcing

Education

Educational EstabishmentMBA, Instead2006

Educational EstabishmentBA Hons Business StudiesYear

Recommendations for Kris

Chief Executive OfficerABC Corp

“Kris is the most serious and effective professional at top management I ever met. Her ‘knife’cuts straight forward and is completely results oriented. However, she has the fairness tounderstand business as "human" and she has the ability to motivate and protect her team‘against all odds’.She is a true leader, with her own style of simplicity and rigor.”

Chuck RogersDirector and Regional Manager, ABC Corp June 5th 2008

Director / VP (Sales)CapAm Global

“Kris is a great manager to work for. While being very competitive and results-oriented, shealso provides great support to win deals and run the business. She is second to none when itcomes to building highly motivated and successful sales teams. The "can-do" attitude andconstant desire to grow people further are highly infectious.”

Chris SmithSales Director CapAm Global August 21, 2009

Business Develpoment DirectorXYZ Global Services

“Kris was a wonderful Director and consultative Leader. She provided valuable knowledgeand support in my role and worked closely with me to ensure a high level of service wasdelivered to my business partners at all times.Sophie took the time to coach and encourage me in my role and career and develop mypersonal impact.”

Kelly RowlandCustomer Services Manager, XYZ Global Services July 14, 2010

Become a member of your university’s alumni group – an easy was to extend your reach and

reach-ability on the Linkedin network.

Include testimonials which add substance to your profile or say positive things about

your personality.

• Don’t compromise your personal brand. There’s no point in having a great Linkedin profile if you compromise your social profile on other social media.

• Be sure to get a second opinion on your profile – on its content or simply checking spelling and grammar.




Essential tips for creating a Linkedin profile


1. Make sure your Linkedin professional ‘headline’ and profile aligns with your career aims

Create a smart profile ‘headline’. This will be displayed immediately below your name. Edit the default: this gives you a way to sum up your professional ‘identity’ in a short phrase and promote your career level and competencies. For example:

• Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at ABC Corp | M&A | Outsourcing | Restructuring

• Patent law expert | international markets | North America | EMEA | Asiapac

• HR specialist in payroll & benefits | investment banking | retail banking | financial services

• CIO | business transformation | SAP | social media | e-commerce

Write a compelling profile which showcases your skills and professional passions. This will act as a pointer to prospective hiring managers about what you might want to do in your next job. Mention perhaps three to five specific strengths. Something like the following:

An experienced sales & marketing director within the technology sector who thrives when coaching people and driving sales teams to exceed quotas. Has notable experience in vendors selling software as a service, business applications (ERP, CRM, BI). Has had exposure to worldwide markets, different cultures and regional business drivers. Adept, excels in start-up and new business-focused growth initiatives.

2. Put your private email address into the profile – a lot of people enter this alongside their

name when creating their profile!

• Many people choose to publish their mobile number but keep in mind this could lay you open to unwelcome exposure or even put you at risk of harassment from people or strangers.

3. You can expect people to search by:

• Location, i.e. the area in which you live - Linkedin will automatically log your location, picking it up from your details when you register.

• Industry types – again, when you register Linkedin will ask you about the industry sector in which you work and will pull this out.

• Job titles – give job titles which clearly state what you do (such as customer services manager, financial controller, HR business partner, sales executive, VP manufacturing & distribution operations), as opposed to indistinct ones (e.g. business coordinator, regional supervisor, process officer).

• Employer company names: companies may search for past as well as present.

• Level – you may wish to be clear about what level of seniority you enjoy i.e. are you a doer, a manager or a manager of managers.

• Industry or discipline-related specifics – like niche markets, product areas, sub categories related to role type disciplines.See ‘key words’ in point 4 in the guide below.

• Language skills.

• Special interest groups – in some instances people may search by these, so if you are an active job seeker it may be a good idea to join such sub groups on Linkedin.




Essential tips for creating a Linkedin profile


4. Incorporate ‘key words’ which reflect your skills, interests and career goals.

• Consider possible searches from the perspective of a recruiter looking for candidates.

• What sort of key word searches would they make when looking for candidates?

• You can expect people to search for key buzz words within an industry or profession.

• Incorporate key words about your industry, at a general AND niche level, e.g. manufacturer, automotive manufacturer, automotive parts manufacturer; then key words about your role, general AND specific, e.g. accountant, chartered accountant, cost management accountant.

• You can use the summary and specialities sections, to showcase relevant skills and accomplishments. Your best chance is to say enough to solicit some interest but not too much, to avoid your profile being either too lengthy or too specific – which may leave you out of the running!

5. Don’t include as much information as you would on a conventional CV. But it needs to be clear to a prospective employer what you do, ideally what you have contributed, what you can do / can contribute.

6. Will the person reading your Linkedin profile understand the line of business you are in? If you work for a blue chip company, it may be obvious to the reader which line of business-/-es you have worked in, but if not a one line explanation would be a smart choice AND you need to look like someone who has something to contribute, i.e. you are a performer – so perhaps mention a few achievements.

7. Become a member of your university’s alumni group. This is an easy was to extend your reach – you can showcase your qualifications and increase your connections.

8. Include a photo showing you in a professional pose and smiling – but play it safe. Use a photo where you look sensible ideally you’re smiling and seek a second opinion. But don’t delay creating your profile because you don’t have a suitable one, you can always add one later.

9. Introduce some personality into the profile. Avoid corporate-speak, use your own voice. Your choice of hobbies and personal statements, will say things about you. Make sure these are ones which will resonate positively e.g. sporting activities / musical ability. But avoid anything which may be seen as negative by others, such as hunting or Kung Foo.

10. Don’t compromise your personal brand. There’s no point in having a great Linkedin profile if you compromise your social profile on other social media. You need to be careful what photos you post and comments you make on facebook, and other communities such as twitter ~ you don’t want to look like a party animal and drunk on the one hand nor a bore on the other…

11. Include testimonials which add weight to your profile. Linkedin like other networking tools, allow people to make recommendations / give testimonials. So consider asking people to give you some; they may add to your credentials and you can ask people to say good things about you which you may not feel able to say yourself. However don’t delay publishing your Linkedin profile because you’re waiting for testimonials.

12. Be sure to get a second opinion on your profile. Take up at least one sounding on your Linkedin profile, whether it’s some high level input or simply checking spelling or grammar.




Your 30 second commercial


TAKESCENE


1. Your name

2. Your most recent employer and job title

3. Your key responsibilities and accountabilities*

4. Your key strengths*

5. A recent achievement of which you are proud*

6. What you want to do next *

* These should be relevant to your Target Opportunity Profile.

Expect to encounter the following questions time after time:• What are your key strengths / specialist skills?

• How can you / how have you added value?

• What is your current situation? (A succinct and positive answer is best.)

• What do you want in the future?

You will repeatedly come into contact with people, whether by design or accidentally, so you need to keep in mind that:

“You only get one chance to make a first impression.”

So here’s a guide to help you introduce yourself confidently and with clarity.

Tell them:




Your 30 second commercial


Your reason for leaving!People will ask you: “What happened to your job?”

• Give a succinct and factual answer. Keep it short; the greater the detail you give, the greater the chance for confusion and your candidacy being called into question. Be prepared to elaborate, but only if asked.

• Keep the emphasis on the positive. Avoid bad mouthing your boss or employer. Try to bring the subject back to what sort of opportunity you are seeking.

• Give an answer which puts you in a positive light. Avoid giving an answer which calls into question your candidacy. Consider what explanation you can give which is most positive and easiest to explain.

Rehearse itSo that you can give a convincing answer each and every time, and discuss your answers with at least one knowledgeable person to check they stack up.




Making applications


Universal tips – applying to all types of job application.People reviewing your email cover and receiving your phone call may get hundreds of applications. Stephen, an HR director at a major airline told me he recently had 200 applications for just one job.

To get the best results:• Align your email/communication with the needs of the job. Make it relevant! Pay attention to what is

said in the advert / job spec and, without lying, show that you meet the hiring need well.

• Include facts and figures in your application which substantiate your transferable value.

• Be short and succinct and give them facts – they don’t have much time, and they want to know what value you can bring to them.

Remember!When making

on-line applications, prepare off-line first.

•




Message templates


Prepare cover emails and letters which you can re-use time and time again• Create an attention-grabbing headline which suggests how you may be able to add value to the company and

the role for which you are applying. For example: ‘Quality assurance controller available; reduced defects by nine per cent last year in an environment very similar to your own.’

• Be clear that you are applying for a job, and make the focus of your application what you can do for the employer, not what they can do for you.

• Set up a signature file in your email settings. In this way you can make sure your contact info is included every time you send an email.

An example of an email cover sheet

Firstname,

I am interested in positions with abc / name of prospective hiring company. I am a quality assurance controller with experience in the manufacturing and process industry, and I believe I would be able to add value to your business by reducing defects, thus helping reduce costs of return, lost customers and ultimately increase repeat sales and profits.

In my last job my actions resulted in a nine per cent defect reduction last year, which resulted in incremental repeat sales of six per cent, and reduced returns by seven per cent.

A positive outcome of c.$430k last year alone ($2m over 5 years).

I have attached a copy of my CV which further outlines my skills and how I can contribute in a new role. I’d welcome the opportunity to meet with you and hope we may speak soon.

With regards

Chris Smith (44) XXXX XXXXXX [email protected]




Application letters


An example of a speculative letterIf you have very specialised skills which are particularly relevant to an employer but you aren’t brave enough to telephone them, you don’t have their email address or you are unable to send a Linkedin message, you may wish to consider writing a letter.

Whilst writing a letter may seem outdated, it will stand out in a world dominated by email and messaging. And this could be an appropriate approach if your skills are extremely relevant, of a very specialist nature and would bring huge value to a very limited set of employers.

Here’s an example:

Your name City of residence

Email address Mobile / Cell #

Mr / Ms Firstname surname ABC Bank Corp 1 The Street City Postal / Zip code

Date/Month/Year

Dear Firstname

I understand you are in charge of ABC Bank Corp / head up customer services at GlobalTel/run the professional services practice at ZA Global Consulting and I’d like to know if you need to hire a XYZ nature of your role.

I have xx years experience at CBA Bank Corp in the role of HR Business Partner, where I have contributed to achieving better hiring outcomes, improving employee performance and reducing attrition.

My market sector experience is so directly relevant to ABC Bank Corp that I would be interested to know if you need to hire into my role type. Obviously there are few people with my background and I would be able to hit the ground running and make an immediate contribution to ABC Bank Corp.

I’d be delighted to speak on the phone or meet up with you in person to discuss this further.

Yours sincerely

Your Firstname surname Mobile/Cell number Email address

Signature Having taken your courage in both hands and written to your contact,

you may find the prospect of phoning him less daunting. If there is no response to the letter it would be good to follow it up with a call.




Cue cards

Here’s a couple of examples of cue cards you may find useful


“Good morning / afternoon” – use their first name

“It’s (say your name) calling / How are you today Firstname?”

“Firstname, am I calling you at a good time?”

Pick up on common areas of interest:” I know you from…I got your name from…”

Very briefly talk about the common interest/connection.

“I’m looking for a new job right now and am interested in your thoughts on…”

“Career options I’m contemplating” (and/or)

“Companies you think might be hiring and the best ones to work for?” (and/or)

“I’m thinking of pursuing a job in xyz area, what do you think?”

“Firstname, thanks for your help. If you have any ideas, please let me know.”

Regardless of outcomes swap email addresses and send a follow-up note.

Possible cue card/prompt card for making networking calls.

“Good morning/afternoon Firstname.”“It’s (say your name) calling / How are you today Firstname?”“Firstname, the reason I am calling you is that I am a (state your occupation) and I’m looking for a

job. I think I might be able to add value to your company – am I calling you at a good time?”“As I said, I’m looking for a new job right now…” State your strongest point first – relevant to his/her company, communicating how you can add

value, and substantiate this with one or two facts and figures.“I’m interested in exploring openings with your company.” ~ wait for a response. Have a couple of other points ready, so that you can elaborate further.“Do you have a current or pending need to hire, are you interested to meet up?”Regardless of outcomes swap email addresses and send a follow up note.

Possible cue card/prompt card for calling decision makers.

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