How To Turn OFF Your LinkedIn “Broadcast Activities”

Posted on June 2, 2011 by The Résumé Studio

Ever notice a glut of newsfeed updates from one of your LinkedIn connections?

If you’re a LinkedIn member, maybe you’ll recognize this:

“Joe Smith has an updated profile: Headline”
“Joe Smith has an updated profile: Specialties”
“Joe Smith has an updated profile: Headline, Experience”
“Joe Smith has a new photo”

Truth is, Joe probably doesn’t realize that every update he creates is being broadcast as an independent piece of information to his connections’ newsfeeds, potentially creating a river of independent announcements. (It seems to be especially true if Joe creates multiple updates across several days.)

Joe should know about the not-so-secret privacy setting permitting him to “Turn on/off [his] activity broadcasts.”

When I suggest that clients turn OFF activity broadcasts before making substantial profile changes, I always get this response:

:BIGGASP: “I had no idea, thank you! I don’t need to alert everyone about every update!”

As of today, here’s how Joe — and the rest of us — can turn off activity broadcasts while making substantive profile changes:

  1. Sign in to your LinkedIn account
  2. Hover over your name at the upper top right of the screen
  3. Click “Settings”
  4. Find “Privacy Controls” toward the center bottom of the page
  5. Click “Turn on/off your activity broadcasts” and follow directions

Voila! Now Joe — and all of us — can go about editing profile material without creating an update with every keystroke.

Joe shouldn’t forget to turn his activity broadcasts back ON, however. I suggest waiting until inputting the final profile touches, then turning on activity broadcasts to let your world know you have updates.

Until next time!

Jared Redick

Jared Redick is the founder of The Redick Group, an executive identity and career strategy firm based in San Francisco. He works with C-suite leaders, senior executives, and career transitioners to clarify their narrative, articulate their impact, and position themselves for what’s next.

Filed under: Job Search Tips, LinkedIn Ideas, Social Media | 1 Comment »

3 Ways to Get More Job Search Attention

Posted on November 16, 2010 by The Résumé Studio

Job seekers twenty years ago made follow-up phone calls to potential employers after responding to advertised positions.

Do that today and you’re likely to be ignored.

A common job seeker frustration is not hearing back from a company you’re interested in, especially when it sounds like a perfect fit.

Improve your odds. Get a phone call by writing to the expectations of your reader. Take a moment to think about what the recipient wants to see on your résumé, then make their dreams come true. If your background is a fit, show them why and how.

Wondering how to get the attention of potential employers?  Continue reading →

Filed under: Inspiration, Job Search Tips | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Organized. 40 Ways I Used Evernote to Improve Productivity

Posted on November 8, 2010 by The Résumé Studio

If you’re like me, you’re forever seeking better ways to organize your life. You write ideas on napkins, scribble notes on business cards, and mess up your hand with hastily jotted numbers.

If you’re really savvy, you might have a file on your computer and/or smartphone to jot ideas as they spring to mind. But if you’re like me, you also lose those scraps of paper, duplicate your notes across technology platforms, and ultimately feel like you’re fighting a losing battle.

But what if you had a command center to organize all of that information? What if every thought, inspiration, number, detail, image — and so much more — could be stored and quickly retrieved from one location, no matter what device you were using?  Continue reading →

Filed under: Inspiration, Organization, Resume Updates | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

How a Little-known DVD Quirk Changed My LinkedIn Profile

Posted on October 13, 2010 by The Résumé Studio

Back when DVDs were the rage, a handful of folks knew that “extras” could be found by digging around for what the DVD industry called “Easter Eggs.”

Basically, if you poked around the main menu, you might be rewarded with unmarked behind-the-scenes material that couldn’t be found using the visible menu choices.

It was like hunting for Easter eggs!

Why not use LinkedIn in a similar fashion?  Continue reading →

Filed under: LinkedIn Ideas | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

Why It’s Smart to Take Recruiter Calls

Posted on May 23, 2010 by The Résumé Studio

Why it's smart to take recruiter callsA lot of busy executives don’t want to be bothered by recruiters.

Until they need them.

I always smile when a client says, “How do I get my résumé to an executive recruiter?”

If you want to play in the retained executive search game, you have to let them know YOU’RE willing to play.

And that means spending a few minutes chatting the next time they call, instead of ditching them to voicemail.

I say “retained executive search” because it’s an important distinction. Think Heidrick & Struggles, Korn Ferry, and the boutique firms that open when recruiters from the big firms strike out on their own. They will often use the same sophisticated recruiting processes and be just as valuable to your career.

The next time a recruiter calls you, be sure you understand their perspective, then consider these points.  Continue reading →

Filed under: About Recruiters, Job Search Tips | Tagged: , , | 3 Comments »

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