According to LinkedIn, there are 60 million members in over 200 countries, with a new member joining approximately every second. Executives from all the Fortune 500 companies are members, which means that if a person wants to find a job with one of these companies then information is available on both the company and people who are employed there. Also, LinkedIn says there are over 130,000 recruiters on its site who are provided with guidance to actively obtain top talent.
With the understanding that some people may not realize LinkedIn’s usefulness in the job search, here are some ways it can help in finding a job.
Create Social Networks With a LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn is free to join, so begin by creating a complete profile, including employment history (list past and present companies), education, skills, interests, and any groups and association memberships. The more information that is included in a person’s profile, the more likely a person can be found in searches done by potential employers or recruiters.
Once the basic profile is established, ask for recommendations from past colleagues, clients, managers, and employees but, of course, only if one is deserving. LinkedIn provides a simple way to obtain endorsements by clicking on “Recommendations” under the “Profile” heading in the top navigation bar. A person can select from a list of past employers and then enter a former manager’s or colleague’s name, or select from his or her connections list. Also, make sure that the generic message is changed to something more personal to increase the chance of someone taking the time to write the recommendation.
A LinkedIn profile is basically an online resume, so people should put their best foot forward, watching for grammar and spelling errors. Also, LinkedIn monitors the completeness of a profile by percentage, and it will take posting a photo and acquiring three recommendations to be 100% complete.
Finally, it’s recommended that the public profile URL be customized with the person’s full name, and then save the profile as “Full View” (only if it’s okay that the general public see the entire profile). Doing these two things helps strengthen a person’s search engine visibility.
Network by Building Connections
Next, a person can actively make connections with colleagues, bosses, vendors, clients, friends, and family. When connections are added, it not only increases the likelihood that a person will be visible when a company searches for an employee, but it adds to a potential employer’s trust factor because people like to hire and work with people who their friend’s know and trust.
To find people to connect with, begin by making a list of everyone you know in business or as friends and then start searching for these people. LinkedIn provides an easy way to connect with people by clicking on “Add John Doe to my network” located in the upper right-hand corner of that person’s profile page. As a person’s network grows, and people become informed about his or her job status, there is an increased chance of someone knowing someone else who may be interested in hiring that person.
Research Key Company Information
When a person applies for a job, it’s best to go the extra mile and address the cover letter to a particular person. Many job advertisements do not provide the hiring manager’s name so often applicants address the letter, “Dear Hiring Manager.” LinkedIn can provide a human resources or management contact within companies. Simply search on the company by entering it in the top right search bar, and a list of company executives may be available. Also, it can just so happen that a person’s connection may be connected to that manager or human resources person and can make an introduction.
Also, an important aspect of the job interview is to thoroughly research a company prior to the interview in order to express interest in the company and be able to speak intelligently about its products and services. LinkedIn can be an excellent source of company information that may not be available on the company’s website such current employees, areas of specialties, key statistics such as number of employees, when the company was founded, median age of employees, and related companies.
Finding Employment and LinkedIn Connections
A person can job hunt by making a list of companies he or she would like to work for and then conduct a search for these companies in the bar at the top right of the page. Once a company is found, a person will be able to see if any of their connections are connected to someone within that company. Again, an opportunity for an introduction. Also, potential job opportunities advertised by companies can be found by conducting simple or advanced searches by state, within miles of a zip code, by industry, and by when the job is posted, for example.
Once an interview is landed, a person can research the people who he or she will be interviewing with to see if they have a LinkedIn profile. The advantage of this is to see if there is something in common that can be brought up, appropriately, during the interview such as education, memberships, and previous employers. Also, in the right column of a profile (the interviewer), there is a box which says, “How you’re connected to Jane Doe.” The box will appear when a connection exists. So, if a person is researching someone who will be interviewing him or her at XYZ company, if there exists a common person/connection between them, it can turn out to be an added advantage in landing the job.
LinkedIn Can Provide an Advantage for Job Seeker
LinkedIn has other features not listed above that can help job seekers such as the ability to ask questions of people in their network or of experts, the ability to join groups in a desired industry, and the ability to promote a personal blog and website. Since so many people are now choosing social media as a job search strategy, joining LinkedIn is not only professional but smart.
Stacey Porto - Stacey Porto, CC is a certified life, career and business coach, graduating from the Life Purpose Institute of San Diego, CA. She has a ...
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