Looking For a New Job Later This Year?

In Washington, DC, where we’re based, it’s a fact of life that a lot of people will be looking for new jobs after the election in November.

You might be in a slightly different situation – maybe you know your company is preparing for a round of layoffs or perhaps you’re moving to a new city and are gearing up for a job search.

Don’t wait until you need the job to start your preparations. Here are some steps you can take now so you will be ready to hit the ground running when the time comes.

1. Update your LinkedIn profile.

Make sure your LinkedIn profile is as strong as you can make it:

• Upload a new professional photo.
• Tweak your headline so it includes what you contribute to an organization as well as your title.
• Update your summary so it speaks to the kind of person you would want to hire you. Share a little of your personality and philosophy.
• Add your latest accomplishments.
• Upload articles by you or about you. If you have video clips from speaking engagements or PowerPoints from presentations, you can add them too.

There are new sections in LinkedIn you might not be using – see if any of them can help you tell a stronger story. “Projects” is often useful – you can describe any particularly interesting projects you’ve been involved in.

Think about keywords – what are people likely to search on when they want someone like you? Make sure those terms are used throughout your profile.

2. Gain mindshare with your network.

Take advantage of the opportunities LinkedIn gives you to get your name in front of your connections:

• Share status updates regularly.
• Like and share updates posted by colleagues.
• Wish people happy birthday, and congratulate on promotions and job changes.

If you have time, create a blog post once a month to share your thoughts.

3. Connect with influential people.

Make sure you invite people to connect with you on a regular basis. The bigger your network, the greater your leverage.

You can also connect with influencers using LinkedIn updates.

Taking these steps before you actually need them means you’re at the top of the list when you need to be. Don’t wait until you’re actively looking for a new job – set yourself up so the right people have the potential to find you.