LinkedIn is a good resource to use when you are eyeing a dream job. It is the first place recruiters will go for information about you.
You can use LinkedIn to search for a job, apply for jobs, and also make connections with people and companies in the industry you are interested in.
Having a LinkedIn profile is not enough, it is important for you to know how to use it to land that job you want.
Update Your Profile To Reflect What You’re Looking For
Recruiters are interested in what you are looking for in your next job not what you are currently doing so ensure that your title is easy to understand. Your profile summary should include the most relevant skills you have for the jobs you want. Considering that your profile updates could get to your current employer, you can turn off profile updates notification.
Ensure To Network
It is important to follow companies you aspire to work in. It is not enough to just apply and sit back, join relevant professional groups, and interact within the community. It helps to show how smart you are. Reach out to people in your network that work for employers that you’d like to work for but do not overdo it. Making a positive impression is critical since you never know who might put in a good word for you with HR or the hiring manager.
Degrees Of Separation
Now you have the profile, it’s just a matter of getting the right people to view it.
If you really want to know how to use LinkedIn to its fullest, you need to be proactive. It’s not enough to create an amazing profile, you also need to ensure the right people see it.
The best way to do that is to view LinkedIn as a giant game of “degrees of separation.” In other words: don’t just think about who you connect to, but also who they might be connected to, and who that person might know.
If someone from your work connects with you and they happen to know someone important, you are suddenly on their radar. Not only that but using the network’s messaging system (InMail), you’ll be able to send them unsolicited messages. It’s in your best interest to add as many people as possible, especially within your industry.
Keep Things Professional
You should use a professional headshot photo and not your Facebook/Twitter/Instagram profile picture. While LinkedIn is a social networking site, it is a social network meant to showcase your experience and accomplishments. You want to present a good image to prospective employers. You are trying to convey a professional image so make the effort with your profile and cover photo.
Conclusively, LinkedIn can help you find amazing opportunities and further your career. It’s all about spreading your net far and wide by building a huge range of connections and bulking up your qualifications and experiences to the point where you’re able to demand the best rates in your industry.
