Unlock potential: optimise your networking & job searching

In October, Orange Quarter had the honor of partnering up with DELITELABS: an inclusive startup school that empowers newcomers to unlock their potential through entrepreneurial training, networking, mentoring, and consultation.
DELITELABS aspires to create and guide the path to sustainable livelihoods and an inclusive society. Their valued training program regularly results in new startups and innovations that contribute towards diversity and inclusion. After their training program, the startup school also commits to community engagement and provides support for participants to continue their entrepreneurial journey.

At Orange Quarter our core values revolve around getting involved in our networks and communities in Amsterdam and Berlin. We recognize and encourage the power of diversity and inclusion as important drivers for innovation, as well as their positive impact on employee engagement.

We jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with DELITELABS. By organizing a digital workshop for the participants on becoming job-ready in the Netherlands, OQ could step in and offer support in enabling the potential of DELITELABS’ participants.
Two of our Principal recruitment experts, Angus and Megan, provided advice on creating a strong and attention-grabbing CV and LinkedIn profile. They took the 14 workshop participants through the world of CV building and LinkedIn, being used as networking tools to optimize job searching. After the workshop, 20 Orange Quarter consultants voluntarily followed up on the workshop by giving complimentary one-on-one sessions with the participants.

Our main takeaways from the workshop:

CV tips & tricks

● Relevance: make sure your CV is relevant to the job you’re applying for
● Less is more: reduce sentences to key points and a list of key skills
● Format your CV: optional to use support websites like https://www.visualcv.com/
● Personalization: customize to the role and company, mimic the employers
language and always include a cover letter
● Next steps: close with suggestions of next steps or a coffee

How to optimize your LinkedIn profile

● Understanding the importance: widely seen as your online business card. Below, you can see the numbers of LinkedIn users from all over the world (8960000 in NL, which accounts for 52% of the population)

● Completing all sections on LinkedIn: set a clear profile picture, add a (industry related) background photo, include a headline and customized URL, add your profile summary and work experience section. Here, you focus on 3-5 bullet points per position and choosing the right keywords. It is also recommended to add skills to your profile and ask your connections to endorse you.

Using LinkedIn as a tool

LinkedIn can be used as a tool to find your next job, drive users to your website, generate leads or even find a professional mentor. It is hard to find another website that compares to LinkedIn for effectiveness: up to today, over 112 million people have received an interview through this channel. Consider your goals and use the following tools to achieve them.

● As a searching tool: researching your area or industry, what titles do people have and which keywords are important to use

● As a posting tool: connecting with your audience by posting pictures, news articles, blogs, asking questions or even use it as a (group) messaging tool

Are you interested in more tips and tricks to optimize your job search? Sign up for our newsletter or visit our OQ journal.