LinkedIn, Locked and Loaded...BUT Don't Hit That Send Button

When you start a blog, you never know how it will be received. Will people read it? Is it relevant?

Well I got my answer pretty quickly.

It only took three hours for Dear Job Hunter to get its first question. There's no doubt that there are a lot of Americans that are in the same boat.

From a Dear Job Hunter Reader:

Hi Trish,

What a great blog you’ve started. It will be helpful to a lot of people.

I am currently looking for a job career change. I would like to know how to use LinkedIn when searching for a job when currently employed, especially when you know your employer looks at what their employees are putting on LinkedIn and facebook. I would like to be more open and say I am looking for opportunities, yet do not feel that would be appropriate. What’s the best way to approach this? From what I’ve been reading more and more headhunters are looking on LinkedIn for candidates. I want my profile to grab their attention!

Dear Job Hunter answers:

LinkedIn, Locked, and Loaded...BUT Don't Hit That Send Button!

I contacted LinkedIn for an answer to your question and while they don't actually respond to press inquiries, they did refer me to one of "their" people who is a true LinkedIn groupie...and I mean that! LinkedIn apparently has a focus group they use to respond to the media on its behalf. These are handpicked social media experts who have proven themselves on LinkedIn and elsewhere.

Dave Peck, of www.thedavepeck.com, says you may be able to create or use an existing LinkedIn Group to place your resume and information. However, after chatting for a few minutes, I asked, "is this 100% safe for LinkedIn members to be sure their current boss can't find their profile that states they are looking for a new job?" We decided, absolutely NOT!

So with that being said, Dear Job Hunter suggests that LinkedIn consider setting-up a private section for users to post their profiles, and then LinkedIn should allow those job hunting posters a setting that allows them to block those they don't want viewing their profile.

If you agree with this suggestion, please post a comment in the comments section below. Maybe we can get LinkedIn to make a change that's good for everyone.

And, if one of my readers already has a little trick they are using to protect themselves...jump into the conversation and give us insight into how to go about a successful job hunt on LinkedIn.

Trish Hoffman

You can comment directly here on this blog. For privacy email me: Trishhoffman@gmail.com.