LinkedIn is a valuable tool for job searches. There are many ways to leverage it. Yes, it’s part of the social media universe. But unlike Facebook, it is a business platform and not intended for personal discussions or photos of kids and pets. It is the gold standard for job searching. So, if you have hesitated to establish a profile or have not used yours much, now is the time to fix that. Believe it: Today, LinkedIn is the first place an employer will check you out, and it’s where recruiters troll for the right candidates. More than 30 million companies are present on the platform every day. So are 600+ million individuals. That’s a lot of opportunity for you!
LinkedIn is powerful. You can search for a role at a particular company using its plentiful search filters. You can look at company LinkedIn profiles to find jobs and make insider connections.
The best way to search for a job on LinkedIn is to use its filters, which you will find at the top of your page. See that blank search space at the top of the page next to the tiny blue square with the LinkedIn logo? Put your cursor there and press “enter” on your keyboard. Now select “jobs” as your primary criterion and write in the names of the roles or companies you are looking for. You also can select “companies” to locate an employer’s profile, and from there, access its website. You will see that a company’s profile also tells you how many employees are on LinkedIn, and from there you can see the entire list and decide to reach out to some of them.
When you find a role, you might also see that LinkedIn gives you the name of the job poster. It might be a recruiter, or a human resources representative. Great! You have a name! Connect with that person. Then look at their profile. Along the right-hand side, you will see other suggested connections. Some of them are probably hiring managers at that company. Check out their profiles and consider connecting with them, too!
The “people” filter also is a great basic way to find people who work at a particular employer. Select that filter and type in the name of the company. However, it generally limits you to the people who already are your connections. This still can be helpful. But, especially if you have no connections at your target, consider it your goal to meet more of them by using the broader searches explained above.
That’s only the beginning. Your mere presence on LinkedIn enhances your chances of being noticed. LinkedIn. Leverage your posting power. LinkedIn’s algorithm is watching you and loves when you weigh in on a conversation or when you create your own post to share some of your knowledge.
Here are some profile tips:
First, make sure your profile is completely filled out with a headline that advertises what you bring to the table, your completed skills list, and an “about” section that describes what employers will get when they hire you.
Make sure you have a professional photo. No wedding photos, or photos of you with someone walking behind you. No pics of you and your dog.
Your goal is to appeal to hiring managers and recruiters. When hiring managers peruse LinkedIn, they are looking for a professional who can deliver what their company needs. They want to get a sense of who you are professionally. How do you describe yourself? What’s the total package? Does this person’s qualifications seem to line up with what we’re looking for? Recruiters are doing this, too, but they also use extensive filters to search for key industry words. So make sure your profile has them! Match the job ad. Use your industry knowledge.
When you fill out your profile and get active on LinkedIn, you are probably going to see an increase in activity: people requesting connections, people checking out your profile, and recruiters calling you. So take some time to work with this powerful social media platform! And if you need help, please contact me at Ruth@confidentcareersearch.com.