Last week we launched our Partner Employment initative and added several links to companies who are all ADF Partner friendly employers and are also involved with the Prime Minister’s Veterans Employment Program.
Thales is one of those employers.
We recently asked Katherine Mitchell, Director, Resourcing at Thales for some tips about LinkedIn for Defence partners. Here’s her response. (Thanks Katherine!)
As a career recruiter I’m often asked by candidates, “why bother with LinkedIn?” For many individuals who haven’t found themselves job-hunting recently, knowing how to find the right opportunity can feel like an ordeal.
So let me help by answering that from the other side of the fence: how do people like me and my teams identify great talent like you? The answer is a myriad of ways, from receiving applications via job boards such as SEEK and Indeed, to applicants coming directly through our website (jobs.thalesgroup.com, for those of you who are interested!) What you may not know is that we work hard to ensure we can identify a real cross section of the available talent out there, often looking for talent before a vacancy becomes live and is advertised. This means we spend time connecting with potential talent via professional networking sites. And LinkedIn is the biggest professional networking site in the world. My team make 25% of all our hires via LinkedIn, so it’s a powerful career tool.
LinkedIn allows you to create your own profile (think of it like a cut-down version of your CV), and even has an option to let others know you’re open to new career opportunities. This will help organisations and recruiters to find you and ensure your profile is working hard for you. Many organisations (including Thales) will let you apply for jobs with your LinkedIn profile, so it’s worth investing some time in getting it right. You’ll also stand out from others who don’t have a profile, and show you’re keeping up to date with the latest technology. You can choose how much information you share on your profile publicly vs. with trusted friends and colleagues.
Once you’ve created your profile, use it to connect with friends and colleagues. Why does that matter? Well, do you remember the 6 degrees of separation theory…your friends, colleagues and even ex-colleagues can introduce you to people and organisations you may never have thought of, opening up a whole world of opportunity. If you’re worried about putting them out by connecting with them, don’t be. We all like working with great people, and many organisations even offer a referral scheme to incentivise their staff to refer great talent, so approaching them if you’re interested in working at their organisation can work out well for everyone!
Once you’ve created your profile you’ll be able to unleash the full power of the site. From checking out job postings and following interesting thought leaders, to joining one of the millions of interest groups, LinkedIn allows you to connect with like-minded people, share knowledge and learn a little yourself along the way.
Whether you’re job hunting or looking to network and build connections in the industry, having a great LinkedIn profile can make all the difference. Ready to get started? Great news! Check out the links below for some tips on how to create your perfect profile, and don’t forget to connect with me when you join!
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-create-killer-linkedin-profile-get-you-noticed-bernard-marr/