The document provides tips for using LinkedIn and blogging to build a professional online presence and find jobs. It recommends creating a detailed LinkedIn profile, writing blog posts about your career field, and sharing your work on social media. The document also gives advice from recruitment consultants on crafting effective CVs, including customizing each CV for the specific job, using concise language and keywords from the job description, and focusing on achievements and skills relevant to the employer. It emphasizes keeping CVs to one page and researching companies thoroughly before applying.

1. BLOGGING FOR BEGINNERS
CV workshop
Cambridge Connect – 29 March 2017
Simone Castello
• Using social media
• Top tips from recruitment consultants
• Hands-on practice: one-page CV
• Q&A

2. Launched in 2003, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network
online. It is a great platform for finding people, recruiting staff and
discussing industry topics. Some stats (2014):
• Over 313 million members in over 200 countries, 23 languages
• 67% of LinkedIn members are located outside the U.S.
• Over 39 million students and college graduates
• Over 3 million firms have Company Pages
• Members are sharing insights and knowledge in over 2 million groups
• In the second quarter of 2014, mobile accounted for 45% of unique visitors
How to use it:
•Create a profile
• Share presentations and write articles to make it more interesting
• Sign up to job alerts
• Connect to recruitment consultants
• Ask for introductions: i.e. HR personnel, managers, etc.
USING SOCIAL MEDIA

3. BLOG YOUR WAY IN
• A blog can be useful to build a portfolio of your work.
• You can write articles, post photos or discuss any topic that is
relevant to your chosen career.
• Blog posts can be shared on LinkedIn, Twitter and other social
media channels. If you are building a personal brand (as artist,
consultant, etc) it is a recommended way in.

4. TIPS FROM RECRUITMENT CONSULTANTS
• Customise your CV for each job – it’s hard but it pays off
• Too many jobs send a negative message – only mention what is relevant
• Consider a skills’ summary at the top of the CV where the keywords from the
job advert are highlighted for easy selection
• Cover letters are only read at the first selection stage, be brief and do not
spend too much time on them. Only 9%* of line managers see them
• Do not abuse the pronoun I, use you when you can. Addressing the company
and showing them how they could benefit from hiring you can secure an
interview for a competitive job
• You have 6* seconds to impress – less is more
• Read the job description and advert carefully. Use keywords from them and
give examples of your skills that are relevant
*Figures collected at recent CV workshop by Career Ambitions
• Visit the company’s website to get a
feel of how they communicate to
customers and use that tone of voice
• Visit the websites of competitors to
give you an idea of their challenges
• Only 35%* of jobs are advertised,
research companies you like and
send them an unsolicited CV.

5. TIPS FROM RECRUITMENT CONSULTANTS CONT.
• Think of the reader (recruiter, HR, Manager, Agency…), make your CV
relevant and real. To which I would add three Rs: research, rewrite,
retarget (find out about jobs, rewrite your CV regularly and retarget it to fit
different industries)
• 60%* of readers scan read, only 40%* want to see detail – less is more
• If you are writing generic statements in your CV, you won’t stand up, for
instance “I process payroll records” does not tell a potential employer how
good you are at it and how you would benefit the company. Give examples of
your achievements and skills that matter to the company advertising
• Again, if a skill is not mentioned, do not include it. Keep it relevant, this
cannot be stressed often enough
• Last but not least… and this is from me: the one-page CV is powerful!
I like indeed.co.uk as it collects
jobs from most websites and offers
free job alerts
*Figures collected at recent CV workshop by Career Ambitions