Tag: linkedIn

Laurence Rogers- Excel Recruitment Senior Hospitality Consultant

Why Chefs Should Use LinkedIn More

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Senior Hospitality Consultant Laurence Rogers on why chefs need to be making the most of their LinkedIn profiles and his top tips for getting started…

 

I spend quite a lot of my time as a Recruiter on LinkedIn and it always surprises me how hospitality people, and especially Chefs, seem to put the bare minimum into their profiles on the platform. Funnily enough, the content that I enjoy the most comes from Chefs who do use LinkedIn to their advantage and showcase the foods, brands, and concepts that they are currently working on. It helps me keep in touch with culinary trends both nationally and internationally while putting industry experts as well as up and coming talent on my radar. But why do I recommend LinkedIn over other social media platforms….

Online Community

For one, LinkedIn gives you access to an online community of likeminded people working in your industry. You can join groups, build a network of professional chefs, swap ideas, pictures, recipes, techniques, projects… the list goes on! You get an opportunity to interact with industry experts and peers as well as the chance to become a mentor and influencer and build your own personal brand. LinkedIn is the only platform that allows you to engage with your industry on a professional level.

Find Jobs

This is a fantastic way to find a new job as LinkedIn is like an interactive jobs board! Not only can you see what jobs are available, you can also see who is already working there, what kind of food they produce and what kind projects they are working on. You no longer have to use a job advert to try and work out what the company would be like to work for, you can just pop on to their company page and do all your research on LinkedIn.

Career progression

LinkedIn will, without doubt, give you access as a professional to a lot more opportunities. If you can get your talent and experience across on your LinkedIn profile, it will open all sorts of doors for you. The best profiles will get noticed first but how do you make sure that your profile gets noticed…

Profile Tips

  1. Profile picture – keep it professional, make sure your chef whites are spotless and make sure you are smiling or at least look happy!
  2. Keep your dates of employment up to date – this is essential, we know chefs are not known for their amazing CVs so this is a great way around it.
  3. Add specific skills and interests – Cooking techniques, pastry skills, butchery, zero waste… the list goes on! Let people know what makes you stand out.
  4. Content, content, content… – Like posts from other Chefs, post links to videos and articles, post pictures of your own dishes, share recipes… The more active you are online, the more doors it will open for you.
LinkedIn Etiquette

Essential LinkedIn etiquette. The definite ‘dos’ and the definite ‘don’ts

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

 

Essential LinkedIn etiquette. The definite ‘dos’ and the definite ‘don’ts

LinkedIn is a recruiter’s staple, their bread and butter for sourcing candidates for prospective jobs. Understandable some people shy away from yet another ‘social network’. To an outsider, LinkedIn may be viewed as one of yet another plethora of online mediums where you are asked to share personal information with the world. But it is not to be overlooked. LinkedIn is the most enveloped Social Medium platform, encapsulating all demographics and tiers of professionals. It is therefore a fundamental for recruiters and candidates, in fact any prospective or current job seeker.

It is the most infinite source of jobs you will see across any platform and more specifically jobs that are tailored to your interests and experience. Job Boards cost money for companies to advertise. LinkedIn doesn’t and is often the only platform where you will see jobs advertised. Furthermore, with Pulse (LinkedIn’s personalised feed for news and insights) you see what is tailored specifically to you. Apportion a fraction of the time you spend on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram or Snapchat to LinkedIn. The Difference? Tangible results, beneficial connections and perhaps the catalyst for landing your new dream job.

Approach Slow

If you are a new user, go slow. At first LinkedIn can be hard to navigate and get your head around. Build rapport and trust, as you would in real life. Establishing relationships on LinkedIn can prove majorly beneficial, so remember you can’t get that first impression back. The expression ‘all guns blazing’ might be useful to remember here. Do not ask for too much too soon. There is an etiquette to adhere to and which is expected by others. However, don’t be afraid to reach out either. LinkedIn was built on the foundations of networking and connecting. Connecting with useful HR managers, following companies and broadening your online community will put you on the radar. Finding your equilibrium between these points will land you with sound LinkedIn activity.

Photo

LinkedIn isn’t Facebook. Nor is it Tumblr or Twitter. It’s also not Tinder. It is a community of professionals and you are pitching yourself amongst your peers. A sound profile photo is imperative. A quick ask around in our office suggests ‘duck face selfies’ or ‘extreme close ups’ aren’t a winner. Don’t worry about a professional photo either. A headshot standard solo headshot will suffice, that shows your enthusiasm, energy and ebullient nature.

Stay Active Online

LinkedIn cements your digital platform. Those most content in their jobs stay active too. Your LinkedIn will effectively become null if you are not active. Again, it also keeps you on the cusp of that HR Manager or Recruiter’s (whom you have connected with) mind. It never hurts to pop up when someone is searching for a candidate with your expertise, or being a top rank in a Boolean search. ‘LinkedIn stalking’ isn’t common place. People are curious as how to better themselves and if you are a source in their trajectory, it is quite flattering. People expect the notification saying someone has viewed their profile, likes their update, or commented on their blog post. Even if they don’t know them personally. It’s fair to presume that people view your interest as professional. If you are conscious of this, the Privacy Settings will become your best friend. If you are curious, but don’t want someone to be notified that you viewed their profile, that can be changed in seconds, however it is not advised as this is all about highlighting yourself.

There are heaps of default privacy settings you may not be aware of. Have a look around and get familiar with these. Social Talent also do informative blogs regarding these that you can find at: http://www.socialtalent.co/blog/your-linkedin-settings

Remember: LinkedIn has over 277 million users. However, it isn’t a numbers game and like anything quality will pay dividends over quantity. Focus on worthwhile connections, companies and other resources that will benefit you.