Sighted people, rise up and rebel!

Last weekend, a friend's car was having major problems and he forgot his cell phone. Fortunately, I had my iPhone. He gave me the number for State Farm roadside assistance. I called and the human-quality voice directed to hit a series of buttons, then retrieve a code from my text messaging app, then go to their website and finish filling out a form.

"You've got to be kidding me!" and I hung up on them.

Even if I were not legally blind using screen-reading gestures, this would have chapped my hide.

This is even more than a usability issue. This is adding insult to injury.

Your car has left you stranded somewhere and State Farm wants you to screw around with three apps and a form? What do you pay this company money for... and why?

Rise up and rebel!

Is LinkedIn worth the hassle?

LinkedIn is a challenge for job seekers using screen-reading and magnifying software. The interface keeps changing and it is complex. Is it worth it? YES!

Just having a complete profile helps manage your online presence when employers do a simple Google search. Recruiters use LinkedIn. You can connect with people in your field. There are many resources on the site. 

So here are some take aways from Andrew LaCivita’s video to get noticed by recruiters.

The search engine on LinkedIn behaves differently than Google. First, what results rank high depends on the recruiter’s behavior. Second, your profile views affect how high you rank in a search.

Here is what you can do from the static side:

1. Complete and update your profile: good photo, good summary, list all the employers, awards, etc.

2. Skills are one of the most popular searches that recruiters conduct, so wax eloquent.

3. Connections, the site is about connecting. How are you developing those relationships? Connections: the more the better. Within that profession or company if possible. Identify them.

4. Use standard titles--just be professional. If your company uses unusual titles, ditch them for what is recognized in the industry.

5. New: check out the Tell Recruiters option, 

Next, take a dynamic approach:

To get more profile views, here is what you do to drive traffic.

1. Share articles, tips, status updates

2. Write your own long-form posts, like a blog, post a photo, build collateral for a career change, post once a week. If you are a college student, post once a month. By the time you graduate, you willl have built a network.

3. Like and comment on posts

4. Respond to your notifications

5. Join a group related to your career path

I will be sharing these tips with my students learning adaptive software.

https://youtu.be/hG9y29SRBm8