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Leveraging LinkedIn For Your Job Search

LinkedIn, launched in 2003, is a business focused social networking tool that allows users to create and maintain a large online professional network. LinkedIn is by far the most common social networking means for recruiters. According to a recent JobVite survey:

  • 95% of recruiters use LinkedIn to search for candidates
  • 95% use LinkedIn to contact candidates
  • 93% use LinkedIn to "keep tabs" on potential candidates
  • 93% use LinkedIn to "vet candidates pre-interview" (vs. 32% on Facebook and 18% on Twitter)
  • 92% posted jobs on LinkedIn (vs. 48% on Facebook and 39% on Twitter)

Recruiters indicated that they checked a candidate's LinkedIn Profile for:

  • Professional experience
  • Length of professional tenure
  • Specific hard skills

So how can leveraging LinkedIn help make you attractive to recruiters and hiring managers?

#1 - Create a clear, informative, and professional profile:

Think of your LinkedIn profile as a summary or snapshot of your resume. Company names, titles, dates of employment, and basic job responsibilities should all be included. Users should also add a professional picture, education history, as well as relevant skills and contact information. Take it a step further by adding organizations you’re involved in or awards you have won. Most importantly, don’t forget to keep it updated with any job changes, promotions, etc. Recruiters and hiring managers often use profiles as a first means of doing “research” on a candidate to see if he or she would be a good fit at their company. 

#2 - Connect with people to expand your network:

Begin your networking through connecting with current and former colleagues. The more people in your first-degree network, the bigger your entire network will be. This allows you to connect and discover more people while at the same time allowing you to be more “searchable” to recruiters and potential hiring managers.

#3 - Join groups related to your profession:

One great way to connect with others in your profession is to join LinkedIn groups. Not only can you use them to establish yourself as an industry professional, but they are also good tools for learning about new opportunities. Finding a group is as easy as typing in an industry name or topic in the search bar and then selecting “groups.” Depending on how active you want to be in the group, you can simply be an observer or create and comment on posts if you want to make yourself known. 

#4 - Follow the companies you’re interested in:

Finding and following companies you have an interest in working for will both impress them and keep you in the loop of any big news. Company pages can also be extremely useful for learning background information, the products or services the organization offers, and who their key players are. In addition, most well established organizations will post open jobs right on the page with a button to apply. 

#5 - Utilize the LinkedIn Job Search App:

Last June, LinkedIn released a new LinkedIn Job Search App for iPhone users. The purpose of this app is to give both active and passive job seekers a streamlined view of the current job market at your fingertips. With a customizable search option, people are able to filter through jobs by title, location, company, etc. It also has a feature that recommends jobs based on your profile, jobs you’ve viewed, and past searches. Best of all, everything you do in the app is kept private and LinkedIn does not share your activity with your network (aka your boss).

Whether you are a 20 year veteran or an entry level employee, LinkedIn is a key resource for anyone actively or passively looking for work. Try setting aside time to implement the above 5 tips to make yourself more attractive to potential employers. 

Job-Seeker

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