It is no secret that social media can be a very helpful tool on the job search. We have written about various aspects of social media as it pertains to finding the right job for you, including various mistakes to avoid, LinkedIn must-haves for recent (and future) college graduates and tips for your LinkedIn profile. Now that you know what to avoid doing on social media and have your LinkedIn profile set up and ready to go, we wanted to provide some tips on how you can use LinkedIn to land a job.
While LinkedIn has long been considered a networking tool, it is actually much more than that. Did you know that companies around the world post job openings on the site, just like any other job board? What LinkedIn offers that competing job boards do not, is a chance to see if you have any connections at the company to which you are applying. As the phrase, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” goes, having a connection at a company can get your foot in the door.
Since there are around 133 million LinkedIn users in the United States and users from 200 countries and territories around the world, the networking opportunities are as great as you make them. According to LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, there are three major tips to maximize the potential of your profile:
- Keep your profile up to date,
- Be comprehensive about current skills and objectives, and
- Highlight your recent experience.
These tips seem pretty straight-forward, right? One way to think about your LinkedIn presence is as a “living resume.” With each opportunity, or new responsibility at work, you can update your account as it happens. Our friends over at TopResume provided some more great tips for job seekers to take their LinkedIn profile and activity to the next level. To read all 11 tips, click here.
Update Your Headline
When a recruiter, or colleague, searches on LinkedIn, the first thing they will see is your photo and headline. Your headline is listed below the profile picture and should be a brief sentence highlighting what your do or are looking for in a new role. For example, “Digital marketer looking to connect with sports industry professionals.” It should be somewhat attention grabbing so when you come up in a search, people want to engage with you.
Let People Know You’re Available
If you’re utilizing LinkedIn for the job search, one of the most important things to do is make your profile available in searches. That way, when a recruiter conducts his or her search your profile will be available (given you fall within their search parameters, that is). Additionally, you can edit your headline to make your network aware.
Research Companies
If there are a number of companies that you would like to work for someday, find and follow them on LinkedIn. When you follow companies, you can stay up-to-date on what is going on with the company and see if they have any job openings that fit your interests. If you get an interview with the company, thanks to staying on top of the happenings of the organization, you will be prepared for the discussion.
Get Involved In Professional Groups
At the heart of LinkedIn is the ability to network with a few clicks of a mouse. There are many groups on LinkedIn that will provide you opportunities to network with members within your industry, geographic location, specific interests, etc. By joining and getting involved with these groups, you can continue to build and expand your network and discover potential future opportunities.
Wrap Up
Social media is ever present these days. While certainly entertaining and a great way to stay up-to-date with friends and family members, it can also be utilized during the job search. Although it is not one of the most used networks, LinkedIn can be considered a professional social media site and should be used as such. When looking for a job, be sure to consider these tips and more from our friends at TopResume to utilize your LinkedIn profile to its fullest potential during the search.
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