Alexandra Chang’s article at Wired.com is spot on!

If you care a whit about your career not only do you have to be on LinkedIn, you should have a detailed profile with your job history. It should look like your resume. Taking advantage of LinkedIn features like Skills can also make you more searchable to recruiters. And of course, build out your network with people you know.

It’s no longer optional, a nice add-on, or a drag-your-feet-gotta-do-it. Whether you are in a job search or simply being smart about managing your career, it is absolutely essential to create and maintain a strong, complete, well-written, clearly focused profile on LinkedIn.

Better yet, delve into the capabilities of LinkedIn. It can (easily) help you find connections to people who can be incredibly influential in your career. You can find and connect to:

• University alumni
• Corporate alumni
• Friends-of-friends
• Affinity group members
• CEOs of mid-sized companies … or whatever your specific target is

It’s been said before, and paraphrased in this article: If you’re not on LinkedIn, you don’t exist. Better to embrace it, use it to its fullest, and reap the rewards rather than trying to resist the inevitable.

What’s different about looking for a job in the summer? In many respects, nothing is different – you still need a clear message, an overall strategy, and a structured plan to move your career to the next level. But it’s not just the summer heat that slows things down. Vacations and long weekends can cause hiring to stall because critical decision-makers are out of the office and remaining staff can be overloaded with higher priorities.

So whether you’re in the midst of a heat wave or – in the Southern Hemisphere – planning ahead for your summertime search, these tips will keep you moving forward in spite of the weather.

1.  Understand Timelines and Processes. At the conclusion of every meeting and every interview, reiterate your understanding of when the next steps will take place. For example:

• Networking Meeting: “So, John, I’ll look for your email next week with your contacts at XYZ Corp. If I don’t hear from you by Friday, shall I give you a nudge?”
• Interview: “My understanding, then, is that you hope to complete the first round of interviews by the 15^th. I’m very interested in the position and certainly hope to have the opportunity to speak with the rest of the interview team. May I contact you on the 16^th if I haven’t heard anything?”
• Recruiter Contact: “I understand that your meeting with the hiring company is on Monday and that you’ll be presenting your slate of candidates. Should I call you on Tuesday to discuss the next steps?”

By using this approach, you’ll appear organized and professional and you’ll avoid the dilemma of when and how often you should follow up.

2.  Don’t Let the Heat Slow You Down. Even if you can’t get meetings with (vacationing) hiring authorities, that doesn’t mean you should slack off on your job search until the fall. You can identify target companies, do company and industry research, work on your interview stories, polish your resume/CV, enrich your online image, master a new skill or technology (e.g., become an expert on Google+ or start a LinkedIn group), write and publish a white paper or authoritative book review, update your references, organize your network contacts, and so much more.

3.  Strike While the Weather is Hot. Sure, some people are on vacation, but everyone is not. As you uncover leads and opportunities, act quickly. Suggest an immediate meeting, respond quickly to all calls and emails, and position yourself as the solution to a business problem.  Sometimes simply being available will give you an advantage over other candidates.

4.  Combine Business with Pleasure. If you yourself are vacationing, try to set up meetings in that area to expand your network and keep your search moving forward. And stay on top of email and voicemail messages while you’re vacationing. If your job search is a top priority (as it should be), don’t plan on being out of touch for extended periods.

5.  Enjoy the Summer! Yes, your job search is important, but so is your family and your overall health and well-being. Those of us who live in cold climates must cherish our amazing but short summers! Don’t become so stressed during your job search that you can’t enjoy activities with friends and family. Get outside, have fun, and be refreshed.

I live in the Boston area, where summer is short but oh-so-sweet. Yes, people everywhere are taking time off from work. But business does not grind to a halt, and you can find and seize opportunities during the vacation season.

Job search is an unpleasant task! So when you get hired, you are thankful to stop all of those unpleasant activities (networking, crafting your marketing messages, following up on leads, establishing your visibility and credibility online, identifying and researching companies and opportunities, and on and on and on) and get on with the business of doing your new job.

Yet by keeping up with those various activities, you will be much better positioned when the next transition comes (and it WILL come).

Marc Cenedella of TheLadders.com wrote an excellent blog post titled “What If You Got Fired Today?” He outlines some not-too-difficult things you can do every day, every week, every month, and every year that will keep you in the loop with your contacts and visible in your company and industry.

Yes, it’s human nature to avoid the unpleasant. But with just a bit of self-discipline, we can do some not-too-horrible things that will make a difficult task much lighter later on. Why not give it a try?

It can be a scary world for anyone who longs for the “good old days” of stable, long-term employment, and job seekers who are 50+ may fear age discrimination, especially in a tight employment market.

But cheer up! Preparation and common sense will help you avoid the pitfalls associated with age issues.

• First, adjust your attitude. If you believe you’re being discriminated against, you’ll be looking for every possible sign that it might be happening. And you’ll be blaming others rather than taking responsibility for managing your career.
• Second, recognize that talented executives are always in demand – regardless of age. Show potential employers that you have the talent, experience, and expertise to accomplish important goals. They’re much more interested in that than in how old you are.
• Third, don’t make things worse by looking “old.” As I wrote in an earlier post, you do look your age – and that’s OK! You don’t need to look like a twenty- or thirty-something. But make sure your physical appearance, wardrobe, energy level, and enthusiasm say “high-performing executive,” not “senior citizen ready for retirement.”

In my Bluesteps webinar this week I’ll be sharing lots more ideas for career management at 50+. Join me!

Most people’s Facebook profiles offer glimpses into the meaningful and mundane in their lives – family photos, likes and dislikes, conversations with friends. Others, of course, reveal inappropriate content that might demonstrate immaturity, questionable choices, or even illegal activity such as underage drinking.

But even if your profile is benign, do you want your employer checking it out?

According to an Associated Press story, some employers routinely ask for a potential employee’s Facebook password or request that a candidate log in during the job interview. Under pressure and really wanting to land the job, many people won’t refuse even if they’re uncomfortable.

If you’re prepared for the question, you can practice your response beforehand. But be willing to walk away from the opportunity if you won’t comply – at least until regulations or lawsuits resolve whether this is a legal request!

The son of our good friends just started a wonderful job at a great company, and we feel GREAT! Why? Because we helped him out, just a bit.

I use the royal “we” because actually my husband did the helping – first recommending him for an interview, then providing interview tips, company information, and general guidance to this young engineer. And when the job offer came through, we were almost as thrilled as our friends!

All of this makes me think about the networking cycle. Good networking means giving when you can, asking when you need help. And the interesting thing about it is that it feels so good to be on the giving side!

So often job seekers who are urged to “network” are very hesitant about asking for help. They don’t want to be a pest or burden … they don’t want to pressure their friends and relatives into doing something … they think they should get by on their own. Yet, when you flip it around and think about how good it feels to give, your whole perspective will change!

In fact, consider it a gift to allow your friends to help you. (Think about how you’d feel if the circumstances were reversed and I’m sure you’ll agree.) Then make it easy for them by being specific about what you want, asking only for what they can give, and following through on their suggestions.

When you land that new job, your friends will be share your joy and feel wonderful about being able to help. Trust me, I know!

When potential employers, recruiters, and contacts Google you, what do they find? You’d better know, and it had better be good, relevant, on-brand, and supportive of your long-term career and current job search goals.

And yes, you had better be on LinkedIn – the #1 online professional networking site, also known as “the recruiter’s passive candidate database.” In other words, the information you list about yourself on LinkedIn can cause a recruiter to find you (via a keyword search) and possibly contact you for an opportunity or a referral. Conversely, not having enough information or the right information will mean you are indistinguishable in the sea of millions of other professionals on LinkedIn.

If you’re not confident your LinkedIn profile represents you powerfully and professionally, you can learn how to do a better job through this webcast I  designed for career professionals. Tap into my “insider secrets” to create your own winning profile!

Of course, just being on LinkedIn doesn’t mean you’re taking advantage of all of its capabilities. Here are two excellent resources from expert Jason Alba – a webinar and a self-paced DVD.

I am very excited about story-telling techniques I learned at a workshop in New York on Saturday. Stories have an unmatched power to convey meaning and connect with an audience and are the very best way for job candidates to communicate their uniqueness and value.

What’s more, when you think about “universal” experiences – experiences that many people can relate to on personal level (emigrating to a new country, giving birth, surviving high school, choosing a career) – each experience is unique in its own way. Telling the story of your “universal” experience not only allows you to express your uniqueness, it connects deeply with your listenener who will tap into his or her own similar (but not identical) experience. I’m not suggesting that you discuss your birth experience or high school days during your executive interview, but do look for opportunities to share personal stories (as appropriate) and entice the interviewer to do the same.

For several years I’ve been using the “Tell Your Story” tagline for my business, representing my passion for helping my clients communicate their uniqueness in a way that is meaningful for their audience and helpful for their careers. The workshop I attended validated my approach and gave me some deeper insights and new tools to apply in my interview coaching sessions. And, I hope to wow them from the podium at my next presentation!

Verizon (telephone company) should answer their phones when you call them. Whole Foods should use good environmental practices. Hairdressers should have great hair. If these things DON’T happen, you lose faith in that individual or company!

The same is true for executives in a job search. Your resume content must match your elevator speech, your online profile, your networking chit-chat, your interview stories, and every other aspect of your career marketing messages to create a congruent, believable, provable image. All of the above should position you as “you” – just the best, brightest, most relevant “you” with regard to your current goals!

Had a great interview a few weeks ago with producer Elsie Nolan of WBZ-TV, the Boston area’s CBS affiliate, all about how to recognize an impending downsizing and what to do about it.

Article and video clip here.

The bottom line, from my perspective, is that you always need to be alert to what’s happening in your department, at your company, in your industry, and in the economy in general. A downsizing or layoff shouldn’t come as a surprise. But regardless, if you lay the groundwork for long-term success throughout your career, you’ll find the landing much softer and the bounceback much quicker.

Things you should always be doing:

• Stay active in professional associations to build a network of contacts in your profession and/or industry.
• Create visibility for yourself by taking on leadership roles in those organizations and/or reaching out to leaders with feedback, ideas, comments, and compliments.
• Create visibility for yourself at work by volunteering for the tough assignments (and, of course, succeeding at them).
• Share your expertise – whatever it is – with others in your company, your industry, and the whole wide world through articles, comments, blogs, etc.
• Do your job really well! Track and measure your performance so when you say, “I’ve done a great job,” you can support that statement with facts and figures.
• Update your resume every 6 months or so. Be ready for opportunities that will come your way.