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LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with more than 500 million users in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. When you’re looking for work, your LinkedIn profile is a 24/7 information resource for all who are seeking talent. Your summary is the first thing talent seekers will see, so giving it some love is essential, but LinkedIn gives you just 2,000 characters (including spaces) to summarize your unique professional brand.

When I’m helping a client craft their LinkedIn summary, I encourage them to keep three things in mind.

#1 KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

Don’t confuse the summary on your resume with your summary on LinkedIn. When you submit a resume, the intended audience is another person – the person responsible for screening candidates for a particular job that you are interested in. The summary on your resume should therefore be tailored to that position.

Recruiters and hiring managers use LinkedIn to search for talent matching their needs, so when it comes your LinkedIn summary, the goal is to capture attention via a search. Sprinkling your summary with keywords and their variations is therefore of the utmost importance.

#2 WRITE FOR THE JOB YOU WANT, NOT THE ONE YOU HAVE

While it’s important to tell talent seekers what you’ve done, it’s even more important to tell them what you want to do next and why you are qualified to do it. This is especially important if you are looking to change fields or step into a more senior role.

#3 BE AUTHENTIC

Don’t be afraid to communicate something personal about yourself. While a recent Forbes article claims that, “as more companies strive for diversity and inclusion, the term ‘culture fit’ is falling out of favor,” companies are still ultimately seeking to identify talent with traits that align with their core values. The only way to demonstrate that fit is to share authentic stories that exemplify your experiences and beliefs.

To see how these points ‘play out in real life’, let’s look at the before and after of a summary I recently worked on. When I met Mike, I learned that he was a seasoned supply chain expert. He had lots of hands-on experience with a wide range of popular technology. He was passionate about implementing new solutions, versus maintaining systems, and was ready to make a move from a company that was shrinking to one that was growing. In his words, he wasn’t afraid of “hard work and big ugly projects” and “was tired of politics and teams that didn’t play well together.” I was ready to hire him myself, but instead I set out to help him craft a profile that summarized everything I heard him say!

Here’s what he started with:

Global IT Manager, Distribution and Logistics Systems

Accomplished IT leader with over 15 years of experience successfully delivering global Supply Chain systems and large-scale implementation projects. Reporting into the Chief Information Officer with a strong dotted line to the Senior Vice President of Distribution and Logistics, currently provide leadership, vision, and direction to implement, support, and improve the company’s suite of distribution and logistics solutions from leading industry vendors including Manhattan Associates, GT Nexus/Tradecard, and SAP. A proven hands-on professional responsible for partnering with the global Supply Chain leadership to deliver against IT needs and objectives

And, here’s what he ended with:

I’m a Global IT Leader with 15+ years of strategic and operational experience delivering and supporting mission critical Supply Chain systems. My expertise includes selecting, architecting, configuring, implementing and integrating Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP), Enterprise Application Integration (EAI), Global Trade Management solutions and Transportation Management Systems (TMS).

I’ve lived and worked on both sides of the pond, and I’m especially passionate about helping high-growth companies implement technology practices that add value to the bottom-line. I’ve never met a company in the Retail, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Third-Party Logistics (3PL), or Direct to Consumer industry that I couldn’t help out of a jam because I’m not afraid to roll up my sleeves, get my hands dirty, and leave things better than I found them.

I’ve worn many hats throughout my career and worked for many supply chain leaders, including Manhattan Associates, JDA, Ernst & Young, and M&M Mars. My experience has taught me that my professional value boils down to the following:

• I love making the impossible possible. Big scary projects with tight timelines don’t scare me. I have an ownership attitude, and I am willing to gather the resources required, put the time in, and get the job done.
  
• I don’t care who gets the credit – I just want to make things better for my company and our customers.
  
• I’m the calm one.
  
• I don’t play politics – I enjoy working with a team of passionate professionals who have one another’s back.
  
• I’m the one you call in the middle of the night – because you know I’ll answer and do whatever I can do to put out the fire.

I love talking shop. Reach out if you want to know how some of today’s largest companies are managing their supply chains.

The difference is obvious, but a few things to note are all the keywords and searchable terms he layered in, the way he clearly defined what he was looking to do next, and how he demonstrated his values and beliefs about hard work and teamwork.

Mike found a new opportunity quickly upon posting his new summary (a recruiter found him on LinkedIn). He told me recently that he continues to get contacted about interesting positions weekly. While he’s not currently seeking a new job, he’s happy to know his LinkedIn summary continues to work for him. He’s confident that in the event his dream job comes available, it will find its way to him!

What are your LinkedIn tips? We’d love to hear them on The Second Shift Facebook page and be sure to follow our company page on LinkedIn!

{by Noelle Abarelli}

Who is Noelle, the accomplished marketer & freelancer?

According to her LinkedIn profile, Noelle is a “B2B Marketing Strategist & Copywriter,” but she is so much more than that! Noelle has over 20 years of experience in the marketing world, serving as a Marketing Manager and International Marketing Director in the tech industry before starting her own business, Soleado Marketing, in 2003.

Noelle is a self-proclaimed “Queen of Content,” and what she’s most passionate about is helping clients tell their stories. “Every company has something special about it, and I love helping clients tell their authentic stories,” said Noelle.

Proud to be a freelancer!

After years of working in the tech industry, Noelle sought to find a better balance between her career ambitions and other parts of her life. While living in Atlanta, Noelle formed Soleado Marketing to create more professional flexibility and she’s been a full-time freelancer ever since! After building her business over a 7-year period, she moved with her family to Colorado, and her business came right along with her!

One of the aspects that Noelle loves most about freelancing is that she’s able to create teams of the best and brightest based on the unique needs of each customer. She’s forged amazing partnerships to round out projects – working with various designers, videographers, and more – since she focuses on content curation and writing exclusively. Whether she’s working on a website, brochure, presentation, or blog, she encourages clients to “get their message out daily.”

Starting her own business and being able to sustain it for 15 years, when most small businesses fail, is really what makes Noelle most proud. Noelle has created her ideal work/life balance through freelancing and still gets excited when she’s able to “roll up her sleeves” and help a client with a project.

Why does Noelle do what she does?

To say Noelle is a “people person” is an understatement. She’s the friendly, eager, seatmate on an airplane ready to strike up a genuine conversation and leave the flight only after exchanging business cards! Her outgoing personality, a knack for listening, and desire to get to know people also works for her business. From entrepreneurs to C-level teams, Noelle has worked with various clients on many types of projects.

Regardless of the size of the company she’s partnering with, typically in the tech industry, Noelle focuses on listening to the “great ideas and great intentions” that clients have. From there, she connects those with the real pains their customers have to help them craft a unique story for every product and service.

Why did Noelle join The Second Shift?

With 15-years of successful freelancing under her belt, Noelle believes that there’s still room for improvement. Her goal is to efficiently connect with good opportunities so she can focus on doing the “work,” not spending as much time pitching or selling her services. Noelle is “excited to find resources like The Second Shift because finding a high caliber of freelance work online can be a challenge. It’s amazing to see a resource of opportunities for professional women that empower us to find the work we want to do, connect with the employers we want to work with, and be compensated well for our talents.”

As a new contributor to The Second Shift blog, she hopes to help readers by sharing her experiences as part of the “gig” economy – the good, the bad, and the ugly. According to Noelle, “there are a lot of positives and I hope we can all share ideas, opportunities, and inspire one another.”

After 15 years, what keeps Noelle motivated?

As a freelancer, you can’t feel creative every moment of every day, but Noelle finds ways to stay productive even in those “off” instances. Here are Noelle’s own words of motivation:

• Tip #1: “I’ve created my own business and I’m proud of it! Knowing that I’ve put so much into it to and made it this far keeps me going strong. Of course, I take a break here and there when I’m feeling overwhelmed and having that flexibility is part of what keeps me committed.”
• Tip #2: “Some days you don’t feel creative and that’s okay. So, during those times, I’ll focus on book-keeping, client calls, or some other admin tasks. Knowing that you will have more creativity some days than others helps you accept it and plan accordingly to keep things moving.”

What does the “Queen of Content” do during her downtime?

Noelle is all about being outdoors – hiking, biking, camping, skiing – now that she lives in Colorado where it’s sunny and beautiful 200+ days of the year! She’s also added running to her repertoire and has competed in several half marathons. The outdoors life wasn’t always for Noelle, though, having grown up on the East Coast. Noelle added, “Running is a way for me to blow off steam. I also have 3 bikes…something I never thought I’d say. The old me would ask ‘who needs more than 1 bike?!’”

Of course, Noelle also loves to read. What “Queen of Content” wouldn’t?

Author’s note: The power of The Second Shift was palpable during my amazing interview with Noelle. Not only did we chat, trade stories, and laugh about our shared experiences, but she even eagerly gave me advice on my own freelancing business. With her 15 years of experience to my less than 1, I became a sponge, soaking up her veteran advice. This exhibits the strength we have as women when we connect and support each other professionally, which is why The Second Shift was founded and why I’m proud to be a member.

Want to get to know other members of The Second Shift content team? Don’t miss our interviews with Keara Piekanski and Chelsea Connor.

She’s covered three presidential elections, worked for the Canadian Prime Minister, and traveled around the world. Today meet another one of our newest copywriters, Chelsea Connor, as fellow member, Noelle Abarelli, interviews her.

Noelle: In addition to being a new contributor to the Second Shift blog, you’re also a member at large of The Second Shift. Tell me about the journey that led you to the site.

Chelsea: I’ve always been a working woman trying to have it all! I started working for NBC News at age 18 while attending college at NYU full time. From there, I took a role as a political consultant in New York City, which eventually led to a position working for the Canadian government. When that position wound down, I jumped at the chance to return to NBC to cover the 2016 U.S. election.

Needless to say, that was an exciting election to cover. When it was over, I returned to my job with the Canadian government, and many of my friends commented that, “I must be glad to be out of the U.S,” but I wasn’t. I felt a real need to return home and be a part of a movement that gives voices to people who weren’t heard in the last election process. I wound up returning to New York and taking a position with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU, UFCW). Today I’m focused on building the 21st century labor movement, which means helping U.S. workers fight for a union voice, fair wages and safe working conditions.

I joined The Second Shift a few months ago as a way to supplement my income. My partner is a retail worker, and we have seen firsthand that job stability isn’t a given in the industry. The work I take on via The Second Shift helps us keep a roof over our heads. He’s nearly seven feet tall and eats a lot – it gets expensive!

Noelle: What excites you most about being a member of this community?

Chelsea: I’m excited to be a part of a community of women. I work in a male dominated field on a daily basis, and The Second Shift offers me a great opportunity to network with other professional women. I also like that I can find extra work that aligns with my skill set and the hours I have available.

Noelle: What’s your experience been like since joining The Second Shift – have you landed any interesting projects?

Chelsea: I’m really just getting started. Thus far, the site has opened my eyes to the kinds of freelance opportunities out there and helped me hone my pitch. I also secured the opportunity to write for this blog through the site!

Noelle: What advice do you have for other members just getting started?

Chelsea: Read our blog! It’s going to be packed with helpful hints from real women trying to do it all. Each contributor has unique experiences and perspectives; our combined knowledge will give you insight into many tips and tricks.

Noelle: What kind of content can we expect to come our way from you over the next few months?

Chelsea: As a former journalist with a news background, you can definitely expect to see some of my posts responding to real time news and events. I’m also fascinated by generational differences. What success looks like for women today is so much different than what it looked like for my mother or my grandmother. I plan to explore those differences a bit, as well as some of the success I’ve had getting my voice heard in a male dominated field. 

Noelle: I can tell from this conversation that you are an amazing journalist, communicator and writer. But I’m wondering if you have any secret talents you haven’t told me about?

Chelsea: Well it’s not a huge secret, but I love to cook! I know a lot of working women don’t want to come home and cook, but I love walking in the door and heading to the kitchen. It probably helps that my partner doesn’t mind cleaning up my messes! I’ve even won a few food competitions, like a mac & cheese cook off at one of the comedy clubs my partner performs at.

Noelle: Okay, let’s say when we finish this interview, you step outside and find a lottery ticket that ends up winning $10 million. What would you do?

Chelsea: I’d definitely open Chelsea Connor Communications! I’d love to build a company that believes in its clients and its people. My experience has been that there are firms that are passionate about their clients, but don’t treat their employees great, and firms that are more about making lots of money from their clients and going over the top with perks. I’d love to create a real family-oriented PR company and combine it with traveling all over the world!

Noelle: Please take me with you Chelsea! Thanks for your time today, I know we all look forward to hearing more from you.

Want to learn more about our member contributors and copywriters? Get to know Keara M. Piekanski and Noelle Abarelli!

As part of our company mission we aim to grow and strengthen The Second Shift community; that includes offering topical and cultural commentary, insight into other members and our team and providing necessary skill building information. To achieve this goal we’ve partnered with three experts from our own member network who will regularly contribute content– drum roll please….so please meet Keara, Chelsea and Noelle! 

First up, they’ve taken turns interviewing each other so we can learn a little bit more about them. Below, Keara sat in the interviewee hotspot as Chelsea asked her all about her professional and personal interests:

Keara has been in marketing for the past 13-years and she “really loves it!!!” She recently started her own side business when a colleague at work approached her to help with a project. She didn’t know where to start so she formed an LLC, researched billing structures and of course knocked it out of the park. She immediately began receiving more requests and in January she officially started promoting her company Two Cents Consulting, LLC.

So if her business was booming why did she turn to The Second Shift?

Keara had been searching for what she calls the “unattainable balance – between work and life” – there was a time in her career that she didn’t have that balance. She turned to the Internet not just to add to her growing client list but also to connect to a network of likeminded women that she could share her challenges and experiences with. At The Second Shift she found both!

What does Keara love about her side hustle?

After she aced her first project she took some time to think about what it meant to build a side business. During this transition, she really thought about what made her happiest. Over her 13-year career she has handled all marketing aspects – traditional and digital – of large and small-scale projects. However, she found that what she really loved was writing. That, coupled with a clear industry-wide need for creative and strategic writers, is what launched Two Cents Consulting, LLC. As part of her Owner/Marketing Maven title at Two Cents she’s proud to bring her creative spin to The Second Shift Blog.  

“I am super excited about contributing to The Second Shift Blog because I can reach a target network that I relate to and can share knowledge that I’ve amassed throughout my career.” i

Proudest moment of Keara’s career:

Keara’s proudest moments have been other peoples successes. She started a team at her day job seven years ago, and she happened to have an all female team. Her ability to coach and bring these women along is what she’s most proud of.

Most difficult moment of Keara’s career what advice she would have given herself in retrospect:

There have been a lot of work challenges in Keara’s career, but what she looks back on, as the most difficult, was a period when she was working 12-14 hour days. “I thought the only way to build my career was to burn myself out and a colleague even told me as much – but I brushed it off,” said Keara. For years she thought that the pressure was coming from her employer, but looking back she realizes that it was more a combination of that and her own pressure that put her in that situation. Now, she is committed to ensuring she has a healthy work life balance that puts a priority on her health and wellbeing at all times. “Now I manage my own boundaries and parameters,” Keara advises you should too.  

Is Keara a morning or an evening go-getter?

“I’m most productive in the mornings after my first cup of coffee and on the weekends. I love to go to local coffee shops and set up for a few hours. There’s this energy around you that comes from people being more relaxed on the weekends and sharing stories over coffee that helps me write more creatively,” said Keara.  

How do Keara and her fiancé share the housework?

When Keara approached her fiancé about launching her side gig he was very supportive about it. Not to mention on top of her day job, Keara is also busy taking classes for her MBA and planning their wedding. He’s continued to be her sounding board for new projects and clients, asking her questions about time commitments, finances and project scopes. “He’s really good about giving realistic gut checks,” said Keara. When Keara has to work, her guy steps in; he’s very understanding of her workload and shares the housework – or plays guitar and gets to it later, which Keara totally gets. They’re both artistic in their own ways and they make it work, while ensuring each is fulfilled creatively.

In 10 words or less why should you read Keara’s posts:

Keara is “committed to writing about things that are relevant to women in the workplace.” Okay so it’s 13 words but if we don’t count the two to-s and the the we’re good!

Lightening Round:

• Favorite color: Purple 
• Favorite ice cream flavor: Chocolate 
• Coffee or tea: Coffee 
• First news source of the day: Facebook “I know I’m ashamed.” 
• Favorite band/music: Red Hot Chili Peppers
• PS: Keara is Philly based, so I of course asked her for her take on the cheesesteak, and like every good Philadelphian she was decisive: “Jim’s, ‘wit’ wiz, no onions.”

Want to learn more about our member copywriters and contributors? Get to know Chelsea Connor and Noelle Abarelli!