Veterans ASCEND Module 4 - Professional Profiles

Transcript

1. Professional Profiles Market yourself right www.theASCENDcollective.org Visit Our Website
2. Veterans ASCEND is dedicated to empowering military veterans by bridging the gap between their unique skills and meaningful employment opportunities. Through a cutting- edge AI-enabled platform, Veterans ASCEND eliminates the traditional barriers of resumes and job applications by matching veterans' military experience and skills directly with employers seeking their specific talents. The program focuses on personal branding and individualized career pathways, providing veterans with the tools, resources, and support needed to navigate the civilian job market successfully and secure fulfilling, sustainable employment that aligns with their strengths and aspirations. Veterans ASCEND The ASCEND Collective is a nonprofit organization committed to transforming employment opportunities for individuals often overlooked in traditional hiring processes. We harness innovative, AI- enabled technology to match people with meaningful job opportunities. The ASCEND Collective
3. Overview Optimize your LinkedIn Profile Create a Social Media Presence Build a Talents ASCEND Profile Achievements and Endoresments Maintain Consistancy and Authenticity Welcome to the Veterans ASCEND instructional session on building an effective online profile. In today’s digital world, a strong online presence is crucial for career success. This session is designed to guide you through the steps of creating compelling LinkedIn, Talents ASCEND, and other professional profiles that reflect your unique strengths, experiences, and career aspirations. By leveraging these platforms effectively, you’ll enhance your visibility to potential employers, expand your professional network, and position yourself as a top candidate in your desired field. Let's embark on this journey to ensure your online profiles powerfully showcase your personal brand and open doors to new opportunities. Craft a professional headline and "About" section that clearly communicate your unique value and career goals, using industry- relevant keywords. Fill out the "Experience" and "Skills" sections in civilian-friendly language, include quantifiable achievements, and engage with the LinkedIn community to build your network. Select professional platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter to establish your online presence and keep other accounts private if preferred. Maintain consistent branding across profiles and actively engage by sharing content, connecting with relevant communities, and participating in meaningful conversations. Complete your Talents ASCEND profile with a focus on your skills and experiences that align with your career goals, using relevant keywords for discoverability. Regularly update your profile and participate in community activities to demonstrate growth and enhance your visibility to potential employers. Use profile sections like "Projects," "Volunteer Experience," and "Certifications" to highlight your accomplishments, and seek endorsements and recommendations to reinforce your credibility. Include multimedia elements to provide a richer view of your skills and experiences. Ensure all profiles present consistent information about your job titles, dates, and accomplishments, while reflecting your personal brand in a way that feels authentic. Regularly review and update your profiles, and adjust your strategy to maintain a strong, professional presence.
4. Optimizing your LinkedIn Profile Building a strong LinkedIn profile is essential for creating a professional online presence that reflects your personal brand and attracts potential employers. Begin with a compelling headline that clearly communicates your unique value proposition and career aspirations, incorporating industry-relevant keywords. Use the "About" section to share a concise and engaging personal story that highlights your strengths, skills, and accomplishments. Ensure that your "Experience" and "Skills" sections translate your military experience into civilian-friendly language, emphasizing quantifiable achievements. Utilize the "Featured" section to showcase key projects, certifications, or accomplishments that align with your career goals. Finally, actively engage with the LinkedIn community by sharing insights, commenting on relevant content, and joining groups to expand your professional network.
5. LinkedIn Mastery Focus Areas Practical Exercise Headline: Communicate your unique value and career goals with industry-specific keywords. About Section: Craft a compelling narrative that highlights your strengths, skills, and experiences. Experience and Skills: Use civilian-friendly language to describe your roles and achievements. Featured Section: Showcase significant projects, certifications, or accomplishments. Community Engagement: Actively interact with content and groups relevant to your career interests. Create a headline that reflects your professional identity and career goals, including at least two industry- relevant keywords. Write a 3-5 sentence summary that tells your professional story and highlights your key strengths and achievements in the “About” section. Choose one military role and rewrite it using civilian- friendly language. Focus on key achievements with measurable outcomes. Select one project, certification, or accomplishment to feature. Describe its relevance to your career. Identify one article or post to comment on and join one professional group that aligns with your career interests.
6. Professional Social Media Presence Establishing a professional social media presence is key to building your brand and expanding your network in today’s digital age. Choose platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to showcase your expertise, engage with industry communities, and share content that reflects your professional interests and achievements. Maintain consistent branding across all profiles, using similar photos, language, and messaging to reinforce your identity. Regularly share articles, thought leadership pieces, and industry news that demonstrate your knowledge and enthusiasm in your field. Use social media to build meaningful relationships by interacting with organizations, thought leaders, and communities that align with your career goals.
7. Harnessing Social Media Focus Areas Practical Exercise Platform Selection: Choose professional platforms that align with your career objectives. Consistent Branding: Use similar photos, language, and messaging across all public profiles. Content Sharing: Regularly post content that showcases your professional expertise and interests. Engagement Strategy: Interact with organizations, thought leaders, and communities related to your career goals. Relationship Building: Use social media to connect meaningfully and build professional relationships. Select one or two social media platforms to focus on for building your professional presence. Review your current public profiles to ensure consistent photos, language, and messaging that align with your professional brand. If not - hide your personal profile. Outline three topics or themes that you will regularly post about, such as industry news, personal achievements, or professional insights. Make a list of five organizations or thought leaders to follow and engage with on your chosen platforms. Commit to commenting on at least one post per week and sharing one piece of content that aligns with your professional goals.
8. Update your Talents ASCEND Profile Your Talents ASCEND profile is a vital tool for showcasing your skills and experiences to potential employers. Start by completing all profile sections with a focus on the skills, attributes, and experiences that align with your career goals. Use the "Personal Statement" section to clearly communicate your core message and unique value proposition, ensuring that it resonates with employers in your target industry. Regularly update your profile with new skills, certifications, or experiences to demonstrate ongoing professional growth. Actively engage with the Talents ASCEND community by participating in discussions, attending webinars, and using available resources to enhance your career journey.
9. Talents ASCEND Updates Focus Areas Practical Exercise Complete Profile Sections: Ensure every section of your profile is filled out with relevant information. Personal Statement: Craft a compelling statement that highlights your unique value and career aspirations. Keyword Optimization: Use relevant keywords that make your profile discoverable by employers. Regular Updates: Keep your profile current with new skills, certifications, and experiences. Community Engagement: Participate in discussions, webinars, and other community activities to expand your network. Review your Talents ASCEND profile and fill out any missing information, focusing on skills, attributes, and experiences relevant to your career goals. Write a personal statement that clearly communicates your unique value proposition and aligns with the needs of your target employers. Identify five key skills or terms related to your desired job market and incorporate them throughout your profile. Schedule a monthly reminder to add any new skills, certifications, or achievements to your profile. Engage with the Community: Join at least one discussion or webinar offered by The ASCEND Collective community to connect with peers and employers.
10. Achievements and Endorsements Highlighting your achievements and gaining endorsements are powerful ways to enhance your online profiles and establish credibility. Use the "Projects," "Volunteer Experience," and "Certifications" sections on LinkedIn and Talents ASCEND to feature accomplishments that demonstrate your skills and dedication. Request endorsements and recommendations from colleagues, supervisors, or mentors who can vouch for your abilities, work ethic, and character. Incorporate multimedia elements like videos, presentations, or articles to create a dynamic and engaging profile. Highlight any awards, recognitions, or professional affiliations to reinforce your unique value and build trust with potential employers.
11. Achievements and Endorsements Focus Areas Practical Exercise Achievements Sections: Use the "Projects," "Volunteer Experience," and "Certifications" sections to showcase key accomplishments. Request Endorsements: Seek recommendations from people who can credibly speak to your professional qualities. Multimedia Integration: Add videos, presentations, or articles to enhance your profile. Highlight Recognitions: Feature awards, recognitions, and professional affiliations that strengthen your credibility. Build Trust: Use endorsements and showcased achievements to build trust with potential employers. Review your "Projects," "Volunteer Experience," and "Certifications" sections on LinkedIn and Talents ASCEND and add any new accomplishments that reflect your skills and impact. Reach out to at least three colleagues, supervisors, or mentors for endorsements or recommendations that highlight your key strengths and contributions. Identify one or two multimedia elements to add to your profiles that illustrate your expertise and achievements. List any awards, recognitions, or professional affiliations prominently in your profile to showcase your credibility. Regularly monitor endorsements and recommendations and thank those who support you.
12. Maintaining Consistency and Authenticity Consistency and authenticity are crucial for building a trustworthy and effective online presence. Ensure all your public profiles, including LinkedIn, Talents ASCEND, and other social media accounts, provide consistent information regarding job titles, dates, and accomplishments. Reflect your personal brand in a unified manner across profile photos, taglines, and content to align with your professional image and career goals. Regularly audit your profiles for outdated information and make updates to keep them current. Use a tone that feels genuine to you, whether formal or friendly, to build trust and engagement with potential employers and professional connections.
13. Consistency is Key Focus Areas Practical Exercise Profile Consistency: Align information such as job titles, dates, and accomplishments across all public profiles. Unified Branding: Use consistent photos, taglines, and content to reflect your personal brand. Regular Audits: Review profiles regularly to ensure they are up-to-date and accurate. Authentic Tone: Maintain a tone that feels true to your personality and professional style. Engagement Monitoring: Track engagement on your profiles to refine your strategy. Review all public profiles (LinkedIn, Talents ASCEND, and social media) to ensure consistent information regarding job titles, dates, and key accomplishments. Update profile photos, taglines, and content to ensure a cohesive brand presentation across all platforms. Set a regular reminder to update your profiles with any new information, achievements, or changes. Reflect on the tone and style of your communication across profiles and adjust to ensure it feels authentic and aligns with your professional goals. Track metrics such as profile views, connection requests, and comments to evaluate which content and strategies are most effective, and adjust accordingly.
14. Bringing it all Together Creating a strong online presence is essential for career advancement, especially for veterans transitioning to civilian employment. By optimizing your Talents ASCEND profile, establishing a professional social media presence, building a compelling LinkedIn profile, showcasing your achievements and endorsements, and maintaining consistency and authenticity across all platforms, you ensure that your personal brand is effectively communicated to potential employers. Each of these steps builds on the others, helping you present a cohesive, engaging, and dynamic narrative that highlights your unique strengths, experiences, and career aspirations.
15. Comprehensive Profile Audit Conduct a Full Profile Review: Visit each of your public profiles (LinkedIn, Talents ASCEND, and chosen social media) and review them side-by-side for consistency in information, tone, and branding. Ensure that job titles, dates, and key accomplishments are aligned across all platforms. Finalize Your Personal Statements: Refine your "About" sections or personal statements on LinkedIn, Talents ASCEND, and any other relevant platforms to ensure they convey a unified message about who you are, what you offer, and what you seek in your career. Optimize Your Visual and Content Branding: Make sure your profile pictures, cover images, and other visual elements are professional, consistent, and aligned with your personal brand. Review your content strategy, such as posts and shares, to ensure it reflects your expertise and career goals. Objective: To integrate all aspects of online profile building into a cohesive, impactful presence that maximizes your visibility and appeal to potential employers. Engage with Your Network: Identify and connect with at least five new contacts across your chosen platforms who are relevant to your career aspirations. Comment on and share content from these connections to build rapport and increase your visibility. Track and Measure Your Impact: Over the next month, monitor key engagement metrics like profile views, connection requests, comments, and likes. Use this data to identify what content and strategies are most effective, and adjust your approach accordingly. Reflect and Adjust Quarterly: Set a quarterly reminder to review all aspects of your online presence, including content, connections, and engagement strategies. Update profiles with any new skills, experiences, or achievements, and refine your strategy based on your evolving career goals.
16. Summary & Conclusion In this module, you optimized your online profiles and social media presence. Make sure that all of the worksheets in this module are completed and uploaded to your Veterans ASCEND profile. Let your career coach know that you are ready to review the worksheets and discuss what you learned in this module. In the next lesson, we will discuss Interviewing for the career you deserve. Finish all worksheets Reach out to your career coach Prepare for the next step
17. www.theASCENDcollective.org Visit Our Website Thank You F o r Y o u r A t t e n t i o n