How to Use LinkedIn Effectively During Your Job Search

LinkedIn is widely regarded as the top social networking platform for connecting recruiters to job-seekers. Even if you aren’t looking for a job, LinkedIn keeps you updated about new openings in your field. This helps you to find better jobs quickly when you decide to leave your current job. Over 20 million recruiters use LinkedIn to attract potential employees, and over 35.5 million people have gotten employed via connections here. If you are able to use LinkedIn effectively, you too can get your dream job. LinkedIn allows recruiters to learn about your past experience and skills from the first glance at your profile. This creates a first impression in their mind about you as a prospective employee. So be sure that you use the platform to its full potential. If you want to switch to a new field, you can use LinkedIn’s latest tool, Career Explorer. In this article, we will tell you about how you can use LinkedIn to gain more connections during your job search to boost the process.

1. Update Your Profile

It is important that you keep your profile updated with your latest jobs and skills. Add your contact details such as your e-mail ID to your profile so that recruiters can easily get in touch with you. Your profile picture and headline is the first thing anyone sees on your profile. Use a professional picture as your profile picture, and update your headline to highlight your position and current job. Be sure to add all the skills that you have. The more skills you have on your profile, the more visibility it gets. You can also post visual content here about awards or certificates you may have won. This is especially important for content creators as you can also post your best works here which will impress recruiters.

2. Build Connections

By having more first degree connections, you can increase your profile’s exposure on this platform rapidly. You can connect with more people by importing your contact list from your e-mailing platforms. You may even find out that someone you know is a part of the organization where you want to work. In such a case, you can ask them about job openings or request them to introduce you to the recruiters. Putting in a word with someone who works in the organization can do wonders for your chances to get employed there.

3. Research Companies

Prepare a list of the companies that you would like to work in and find them on LinkedIn. This is quite easy to do, you just need to type in the name of the company in the search bar. Once you have found the company’s profile, follow it. This will keep you updated about job openings in the company and you will be able to view these updates in your news feed.

4. Announce Your Availability

Recruiters need to know that you are available to work. You can make this known by adding it to your headline. For example, “Archaeologist ready to find treasures for you” can catch a recruiter’s attention. So be creative with your headline. Avoid simply saying that you are looking for a job as that may seem a bit desperate and it doesn’t work well with employers. You can also directly contact companies that are looking to hire so that you have a higher chance of making it, rather than wait for them to notice you after you apply through LinkedIn. 

5. Get Active

Post content you create, comment on other people’s posts, get involved in conversations on LinkedIn. This is the best way to gain a presence on this platform and get noticed by recruiters and employers.  You can also use the Advanced Search feature to find professional groups in your neighbourhood. By interacting with such groups, you can grow your network exponentially. The bigger your network is, the more exposure you gain and the more people will find you on LinkedIn. It’s best if you use this platform to network with people after working hours. Since most people are busy during working hours and will not be active on LinkedIn, you can get a higher response rate if you are active after working hours. Apply these tips to your LinkedIn profile and get your dream job! As a professional, it is important that you keep yourself updated about jobs in your industry so that you don’t have to search for them after you have left your current job. If you are on the lookout for jobs, you must update your other social media profiles as well. Recruiters will often check out these profiles as a sort of a background check. So make sure that you do not have anything inappropriate on your other profiles.
Syed Zain Nasir

I am Syed Zain Nasir, the founder of <a href=https://www.TheEngineeringProjects.com/>The Engineering Projects</a> (TEP). I am a programmer since 2009 before that I just search things, make small projects and now I am sharing my knowledge through this platform.I also work as a freelancer and did many projects related to programming and electrical circuitry. <a href=https://plus.google.com/+SyedZainNasir/>My Google Profile+</a>

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Syed Zain Nasir