LinkedIn has a user base of over 8.5 million experienced professionals, and is used by many companies as a database for candidates. For this reason LinkedIn is an excellent place to promote yourself online.
Here are 10 tips to help you enhance your job search using LinkedIn:
Complete your profile thoroughly. You should:
- Include your picture as it allows for a deeper sense of connection to you and should be part of your brand on all social networking sites.
- List your education, past employers, professional affiliations, awards, and keywords related to your jobs and activities.
- Get references; contact past and present bosses, colleagues, subordinates and clients for recommendations.
- Create a descriptive headline (under your name). The generic title. Make sure your headline is something your target audience is looking for.
- Put a link to your LinkedIn profile on your CV. For tips on creating the perfect CV click here.
Build your network. Build your network to increase the likelihood that your profile will come up at the top of the list when hiring managers/recruiters are looking for candidates.
Prepare for interviews using LinkedIn. Expand your research by reading about the people who will be interviewing you. Knowing that you have an acquaintance in common or share an interest is a great way to establish rapport.
Join LinkedIn groups. Join as many groups as possible, but concentrate first on those whose members are people who could hire you (hiring managers) or can help you find a job (recruiters/executive search consultants). You may also want to join job search support groups and industry groups.
Participate in discussions. Share your insights and answers to questions on discussion boards thus demonstrating your knowledge and desire to contribute. Post questions or discussion topics yourself. This will help you make valuable connections while building your personal brand. Always be sure to include your email address in your posts.
Search for jobs daily. LinkedIn’s job board functions like other job boards with the exception that many of the opportunities listed are exclusive to LinkedIn. In addition, many of the opportunities list the recruiters or employers who posted them, offering another level of personal connection for networking.
Identify target companies. You can identify companies by industry and geography to expand your list of target companies. You can filter your LinkedIn list by exploring the company’s web site and job postings. Then, by going back to LinkedIn, you can identify hiring managers and HR managers for additional information and potentially informational interviews.
Update your profile regularly. Every time you update your whole network will be notified and you’ll get exposure.
Include the link to your LinkedIn profile in your signature on every email. That way people can see all your credentials with one click.
LinkedIn can be a valuable job hunting tool if used properly.Why not read our “how to create the perfect CV” post and our “prepare for your first” interview post.
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[...] with the latest job opportunities and thousands of new roles are advertised each day. Why not use LinkedIn for job hunting or have a look at the major UK job boards. This entry was written by Steve Evans, posted on [...]