Q: What’s the first step to take when job hunting?
A: If you were let go because of downsizing, which is prevalent in today’s world, look at where your successes have been and keep your resume and accomplishments up to date. Take the time to prepare your plan for where you want to be, what you want to do and where you need to grow for the best results. Look at job hunting as an opportunity for growth.

Q: Why should people seek recommendations?
A: If you can get a job on your own, that’s great. But it certainly helps when you know someone. I hear hiring managers say things like “if I trust the person who gives the recommendation, then that job seeker gets pushed up in the tier of who’s going to be interviewed.” You need to use your network wisely and be very specific as to who might be able to assist and what they should do to help you get your foot in the door.

Cheryl Hyatt is a partner of Hyatt-Fennell, a national executive recruiting firm. Before partnering with Dr. Marylouise Fennell, Hyatt was the president and owner of The Charitable Resources Group, which provided executive search services and fundraising consulting expertise. She sits on various nonprofit boards in the Pittsburgh area.

Q: How important is LinkedIn when job hunting?
A: LinkedIn is a strong job-seeking source, just be sure to keep your profile updated. LinkedIn is much more widely used as a recruiting tool for organizations. Prospective employers look at that to gauge a career path and check to see the kind of social media presence a person has. I recommend you Google yourself to see what kind of digital profile you have, and to rectify any damaging information that’s out there.

Q: Is there an expiration date on who you use as references?
A: If you haven’t worked with those references in more than three years, I wouldn’t recommend using them unless it’s very pertinent to that position. On the other hand, if you’ve only worked with them for six months, they don’t really know your style. The best three references to have are the leader you reported to, a co-worker and someone who has reported to you.

Q: What advice can you share for people writing a recommendation?
A: You need to think of the position the person wants to move into, what the responsibilities are and what that person has already achieved in some of those areas. Choose two or three activities or accomplishments that you know your colleague has made and address those. Describe her leadership capabilities, especially if she’s looking for an executive position. No matter which colleagues you reach out to, make sure to show your appreciation and offer to write a recommendation for them when they need it.