LinkedIn's dependability to land a job is unquestionable. But, to utilize the maximum out of it, you need to run a successful LinkedIn campaign. Described below area few of the ways to use LinkedIn to find a job effectively.
1. Create an Impressive Profile
As a LinkedIn user, you need to complete your profile by filling in all the mentioned fields. Have a professional, good-quality headshot profile photo and a background image to generate better profile traffic. Your headline should have the right amount of keyword presence to match the language of the recruiters. Your summary section must highlight your skills and accomplishments in a saleable manner, and it should preferably be written from the first-person point of view. Try to ensure that your summary strikes a delicate balance between reflecting your personality mixed with a decent presence of keywords and keep it concise. Make your experience evident to your connections and companies to fetch better job opportunities.
2. Make your Presence Felt
It would be paramount if you visited your LinkedIn profile at least once a day. Search and read through the posts of others that match your preferences, engage with them, and try to post interesting and motivating content related to your profession. If you are on the hunt for a job, then use your headline to catch the attention of the recruiters. Stay away from the desperation of adding new contacts in bulk, and initially, stick to sending invites to people you already know from your LinkedIn suggestions to build your network. Your former colleagues who know your potential and can vouch for your performance are certainly a part of that bunch. They can refer your case and help you grab a job opportunity. Always let your contacts know, what you are up to, and never hesitate to seek their help while searching for jobs.
3. Build a Strong Network
Gradually, it would be best to start connecting with other targeted people you don't know but who belong to matching fraternities. Connecting with people who belong to the same occupation and industry as yours, along with connecting with the decision-makers and influencers of companies you have researched on, and aim to work with, can be truly valuable.
4. Research
Find and follow companies you are interested in working for on LinkedIn to stay updated about them. You can use the LinkedIn Advanced search option to find companies you are interested in and learn about the people connected with those companies. Depending on the nature of their connection, you can seek relevant information that they must be aware of, and you must know to get the advantage of a head-start when you approach those companies for a job.
Through the "Discover Jobs in Your Network" and "People Also Viewed" sections on the job listing pages, LinkedIn provides you with good company suggestions that can help you find a suitable job.Even when you struggle to find a job exactly matching your specified criteria, these suggestions can be beneficial and give a good insight into your queries. You can research the likes and interests of the hiring personnel of a company you are slated to be interviewed for and use that information to your advantage.
5. Engage Beyond the Usual
As LinkedIn is among the least used sites during work hours in the USA, as per a Mashable survey, you should focus on being active more after the business hours of a day to better connect with people and companies.
Greet your connections on their special occasions through the "Keep in touch" sections of the connections channel to strengthen your relations with them. You need not confine yourself to just the LinkedIn platform and connect with people in your network through more personal means of communication, like a telephonic call, a video call, or fix an in-person meeting with them.
