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Sleepwalking on the job? Market yourself for a new role with the ‘world’s biggest CRM system’

Change Makers Social & Digital

Sleepwalking on the job? Market yourself for a new role with the ‘world’s biggest CRM system’

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If you hate your job or are disengaged at work, you’re not alone.

A couple of months ago, polling organisation Gallup released the findings of its annual international employee satisfaction survey. Gallup has been measuring employee satisfaction since the late 1990s. The 2013 report is based on feedback provided by 230,000 workers in 142 countries.

According to Gallup, only 24% of employees in Australia and New Zealand are engaged, meaning only one-in-four workers feels a sense of passion for their work, a deep connection to their employer, and spends their days driving innovation and moving their company forward.

60% of employees in this part of the world are disengaged – they’re unhappy and have, in Gallup’s language, ‘checked-out’: they “sleepwalk through their days, putting little energy into their work.”

16% of Aussie and Kiwi workers hate their jobs so much that they act out and undermine what their coworkers accomplish. Gallup reckons that group of actively disengaged workers is costing Australia $54.8 billion per annum.

With fewer than 20% of those in leadership positions feeling engaged in their jobs you probably can’t count on your boss to lift your spirits. So if you are one of the millions who is sleepwalking at work, a better course of action might be to start the year actively searching for a new role, or new workplace – hopefully one that will engage you. With that in mind, here are a few tips on how to position yourself for success on LinkedIn, the world’s biggest CRM system.

  1. Upload a work-appropriate photograph. Keyword being ‘work-appropriate’.
  2. Make sure your contact details are personal and up-to-date. People often make the mistake of attaching their work email address to their LinkedIn profile. When they leave an employer (by choice or unexpectedly) they then find they’re locked out of their account.
  3. Add skills to your profile as these keywords help employers and recruiters to identify candidates with the right expertise. Just make sure you have the skills you add.
  4. Follow companies you’re interested in or would like to work for. LinkedIn is a rich source of business intel.
  5. Participate – join groups, industry associations, alumni.
  6. Add examples of your work as evidence of your skills and talents.
  7. Synchronise your email accounts with LinkedIn to ensure you’re connected with your full network.
  8. Check out who in your network is recruiting. These days most jobs openings are filled without traditional advertising and an internal referral holds a lot of weight.
  9. Paint the full picture. Don’t limit your LinkedIn profile to the jobs you’ve held. Make sure you also capture your other credentials – education, volunteering, awards, language skills… and,
  10. Ask your network for introductions and endorsements.

 

 

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Jacqueline Burns

Jacqueline (Jaci) Burns is managing director of Market Expertise, a B2B agency which specialises in the marketing of services, solutions and intangible products. Based in Sydney, Market Expertise works with ‘smart companies’, both Australian and international, from the financial services, professional services, technology and knowledge sectors.

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