LinkedIn is without a shadow of a doubt, the biggest professional networking website on the planet. It is a platform that offers a way for professionals to connect with each other and stay in contact with millions of other people. LinkedIn is not just like every other social networking platform as it is strictly used for exchanging ideas, knowledge and employment opportunities. This has, in fact, made it one of the best tools for expanding networks and helping people find jobs in their respective industries. However, signing up does not automatically make you visible to potential employers or networks. There’s a little more to do, but it’s not complicated. Here are a few tips for using LinkedIn if you are searching for a job.
What Should Be On Your LinkedIn Profile?
As mentioned above, LinkedIn is an ideal professional way to showcase your brand online. It is usually one of the first sites to show up on the search engines, and so, it is an excellent tool for establishing an online presence and connecting with other professionals in your industry.
Think of the LinkedIn profile as a visual and more dynamic version of your resume. You can, of course, include your traditional professional information such as education history, occupation, certificates, college awards, hobbies, clubs, skills, etc. However, rather than only listing this information, the platform allows you to expand on every point. You can even share projects that you are proud of, like a brochure you designed, an app you programmed, a PowerPoint you did for class, etc. Your LinkedIn should also be verified too – in the same way, big brands do when verifying their Instagram and Facebooks.
Tips For Securing a Job through LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a great source of jobs. You can search and apply for a job directly through this social networking platform. Not just that, it also allows you view and contact your connections who may be able to refer you to a job in a particular company. In most cases, you can do everything on LinkedIn right from the comfort of your home. Here’s how you use LinkedIn to secure your dream job.
Sending Messages and Invitations
There are many do’s and don’ts when connecting with people using LinkedIn. However, we are not going to cover these in this article. When writing these, remember one important rule; etiquette.
See also: What to Post on Linkedin
Recommendations
Recommendations carry a lot of weight when it comes to LinkedIn. A good recommendation gives a potential recruiter a reference in advance. You can get references from your previous employers, co-workers, business partners, etc. One of the best ways to get good recommendations is by giving them. People like it when their skills and qualifications are attested. If you do this to people you know and have worked with before, they are likely to do the same. If you want to know about more ways, then this piece from Fircroft is a good one to help you boost your profile.
Activity Broadcasts
When you are searching for a job and do not want your current employer to know, it’s always a good idea to switch off your activity broadcasts. Here’s how to do that:
Premium Services on LinkedIn
LinkedIn has basic and premium services. The latter has a few sub categories which cater for job seekers, recruiters, and sales professionals. But should you really upgrade to the premium one? Of course, there are some benefits of using the latter such as more search results, gold badge, more introductions, etc. However, whether to use premium or not depends on the strategies that you are using to search for jobs and financial situation.
Lastly, it is important to use LinkedIn endorsements. That is because they help your profile get noticed.
It’s possible to get a job through LinkedIn. The reason most fail is that they fail to present their profiles properly. Just like how your resume should be polished, your LinkedIn profile should portray professionalism. Use the above tips to achieve that.
