TipTopJob Blog

Welcome to the TipTopJob blog where you will be kept up to date with news, reviews, survey results, press releases, statistics, offers and more...

How to make sure your Linkedin requests are accepted

Have you tried to connect to people on Linkedin but still find they will NOT accept your request? Maybe there is a genuine reason like they did not receive the email from Linkedn to let them know about your request or the person just has not logged into Linkedin yet. Either way you cannot do anything to overcome these factors but there are OTHER things you should definitely make sure you are doing so as to make sure you are doing everything you can in your power to achieve as many connections as you possibly can. So what can you control?

Your Profile
Is it complete? You need to ensure you have a current job title and history or people will likely not want to connect. A good quality photo helps, history of employment and endorsements will give you a level of value in others eyes. Try to complete as MUCH of it as you possibly can.

Your Message
Do not send a one size fits all message to the person you want to connect to. This will just look like you are trying to build the number of connections rather than show that you want to connect to that specific person. Do not use the default Linkedin message when connecting. Make sure you enter in the person’s name and address them properly. If there is any common ground between you, explain that along with why you want to connect. Make the message meaningful and show how your connection could be mutually beneficial.

Spelling, Punctuation, Grammar
This is always a huge factor in any professional documentation.

Company Loyalty
Having friends at work can increase a person’s loyalty to the company as it is a big factor in deciding whether to leave and move onto a new job or not. People are not loyal to a company but to the people they work with.

Get The Name Correct
Some people will ignore a request if you are unfortunate enough to make the mistake of getting their name incorrect. Double check who you are connecting with before sending your message.

Do Not Sell
If your connecting message, just introduce yourself and connect. Avoid discussing any products or services that you want to sell in this first message as it could well and truly put some people off accepting. It can also be a little off-putting for people to receive a sales pitch straight after a connection so just be careful how quickly you approach them in your follow up.

It may seem like you have to invest a little time into each connection but if you want to build a genuine relationship, this is vital. Do bear in mind though that some people will never connect to others unless they work with them or have worked with them and know them properly so do not be offended if you fail to achieve some connections. Just keep building by connecting and your network will certainly grow!

You can also find this article on our website.

66% say they carefully select social media posts

Our latest findings reveal that 66% of employees carefully select what they post onto their social media profiles as they fear it will negatively affect their chances at work. 48% of this figure feel that it therefore restricts their use of social media.

21% of the employees say it is does not stop them and it does not worry them at all. 

Social media is being used everywhere, not just for personal uses but business as well so it is hard to draw a line for some employees if they are using it as part of their job. Surely, someone with access to Facebook who is posting company updates, will sneak the odd peak at their personal profile? No? Should there be some leeway on personal use anyway in an office or does giving an inch turn into a mile?

Well it varies depending on the industry and job role really. Working in the marketing and media industry would require regular use of social media across all platforms. But when working in recruitment there would be constant use of Linkedin required but not so much on Facebook and Twitter. At the end of the day, it is down to the company and what their rules and regulations are. Our advice would be to not take advantage of your situation or you may have to deal with more serious consequences. 

What are your thoughts on social media in the workplace? Should it be allowed or is it a distraction?

graph-social-media

 

Majority take it upon themselves to make CV Tip Top

Our latest press release has been issued today which is titled, "Majority take it upon themselves to make CV Tip Top". Here is the full press release......

Two thirds of people rely on themselves to update their CV, a recent study has found. This may involve an individual updating it on their own accord or using the Internet to research the necessary steps.

The study asked over 1,000 jobseekers what kind of help they have received in their most recent update of their CV.

A third of the respondents had paid to use a professional service. With many organisations around today who will charge a small amount to review and update a CV, it is quick, easy and affordable to use this option. Some even offer a free CV review which can used as a guide to improve what is already there. Only 9% turn to friends and family to seek similar help.

Corinne Hutchinson from TipTopJob, states, “Whether you are seeking help from someone else or not, it is important to take time to update your CV regularly and do it well. Updating your CV shows recruiters what your latest skills and experiences are and shows you are keen to find new employment….right now! The main advice here is to not leave your CV for too long without updating it. This also applies to Linkedin profiles. In fact, it is even more important to keep these details updated given they are so publicly available.”

 

Linkedin helps jobseekers secure jobs

Have you ever wondered which social media platform was the best for sourcing a new job?

Well, in our latest survey, we asked over 537 people in one week which of the social media platforms they HAD managed to get a job via. 

Can you guess which site was the winner? Yes, you got it. Linkedin hands down won the poll. Almost half of the respondents said they had got a new job via the use of Linkedin. Linkedin IS the more professional network and constantly displays new vacancies that are relevant to you. With the networking opportunities available through this platform, it is no doubt the place to start looking when using social media.

These are the results of the survey:
Linkedin: 228
Facebook: 171
Twitter: 15
Google+: 39
Instagram: 12
Other: 72

If you have found a new job via any OTHER platform, do let us know below where!

Quick tips on how to find a new job through networking

Networking is the number ONE approach to finding a new job whether it is through friends, family, acquaintances, online, conferences, events and the like. Here are some quick tips on how to best network to find yourself a new job…

- Use Linkedin  
Linkedin has the largest network of business managers, directors, recruiters etc so you can really connect with the right people in your industry whether they are recruiters in the company you are interested in working for, recruitment agencies or just employees working in the industry/company you want to get into. 

- Use Facebook 
Your friends on Facebook are invaluable at potentially connecting you with the right people. They may know about relevant jobs being advertised and be able to introduce you to recruiters or those working in an organisation of interest. Do not under-estimate the power of your friends and family. 

- Twitter 
You can use twitter in the same way as Linkedin and Facebook. Connect with marketers, recruiters, bloggers etc as well. You can follow people in your industry who may be tweeting about relevant information and they may be able to help you in some way or another in your job hunt. 

- Offline networking at exhibitions and conferences 
If you work in a specific industry, it is worth attending exhibitions or conferences to meet others who may also be able to open doors for you. You can find local events online – it is definitely worth getting down to anything relevant going on. 

Expanding your network is so VERY important as you never know who could be able to help you. Do not assume people will not be able to help you. Connect, connect and connect some more  Good Luck! 

TipTopTastic Pumpkins

Light up Halloween this year with a TipTopTastic Pumpkin.

Get involved in our TipTop Pumpkin carving party and share your creations with us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ this week.

We will be choosing the BEST, either the funniest, scariest, silliest, most creative looking pumpkin and announcing our winner on Friday 31st October.

Lets get carving Smile and post to us here  !!!!



41% use Linkedin as their favoured social network to find a new job

In a recent poll to find out which social network users favoured to use when finding a new job, Linkedin came out on top. 41% of respondents said they would prefer to use it over Facebook, Twitter or Google+.

TipTopJob’s survey also found that Facebook was the second most favoured social network with 32% saying they preferred it. Twitter was the least popular with only 3% of users using it and Google+, 24%.

Most people are aware that the best way to find a new job is through networking which is why the social networks have become an increasingly popular place to start given that is it so easy and available 24/7. Each of the networks bring their own merits and usefulness to the table but when it comes to looking for a job we wanted to find out what people thought about them.

Linkedin is the most obvious place to start as a professional. It allows you to link in with other people, update your own professional profile, do company searches, contact people and update your own status. It is a “business” network and therefore most commonly seen as the best place to start looking for a new job. Mike Dauncey adds, “Linkedin is more commonly used amongst certain industries like Engineering, IT and higher end roles over those blue collar workers and careers in, for example, the Health sector so it will be more popular for certain industries.”

Facebook and Twitter are more for “social” uses and allow connections of friends rather than just business associates. Although they allow you to follow companies of interest, see job postings, network etc and can be useful for some in finding a new opportunity, Linkedin seems to be the most popular choice still. Google+ is becoming ever more popular given it is a Google product and works in a similar way to the other networks.

Have you found a new job through a social network? Which one? Let us know.

Linkedin is not taking over the traditional Resume in importance…yet!

A recent survey by https://www.tiptopjob.com, the International specialist network of jobsites, asked “Is Linkedin more important to you than having an up-to-date Resume”. It was found that 53% of respondents reported that the Resume was still more important.

The 47% of those jobseekers who felt Linkedin was more important come from those industries more likely to be found using the networking site, e.g. IT professionals, Engineers etc. Those employed at a higher level are also more likely to be using Linkedin today, so for example, Managers, Directors and the like.

About 5 years ago, the percentage of jobseekers that think the Resume is more important would have been much higher. In 5 years time, however, it is likely that this figure will be much less with the rising importance of using Linkedin in most roles.

Corinne Hutchinson comments, “With the amount of information you are able to put on Linkedin about your career history and skills, some hiring managers won’t need to even see a Resume as it will just simply repeat what is already accessible. On the other hand though, some industries will never see Linkedin take over from the traditional Resume as those candidates will never use the networking site, for example, Health workers and manual Construction labourers. ”

What do you think? What industries do you deal with? Are you a hiring manager and have you ever just used the information available on Linkedin? Let us know your thoughts on this Linkedin discussion group here... http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Do-you-think-your-Linkedin-69963.S.220038901?qid=3349bcc0-bad0-4c25-8f37-9a957dc1be3a%26trk=group_most_recent_rich-0-b-cmr%26goback=%252Egmr_69963%252Egde_69963_member_216561355%252Egmr_69963

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TipTopJob is a network of generic and specialist jobsites helping jobseekers search and apply for jobs online - there are over 400,000 jobs worldwide online today.

For information regarding TipTopJob, please contact coz@tiptopjob.com.