The short answer? In a way, yes. As with any job search platform, though, you have to use it in strategic ways for it to become YOUR best way to find a job. LinkedIn provides the essential features needed to help you find and eventually land a job you love, but we’ll show you how to use them to your advantage.
Tips for using your profile
- Make your headline do some heavy lifting. Your headline is the second thing everyone will see, so make it search optimized and include your expertise and interests. Stumped on how to start? Get some inspiration here.
- Link your creative portfolio. Creatives especially need to show their best work front and center. If you don’t have a portfolio yet, we’ve got a list of great places to start. You should probably prioritize this (and create a great personal website, too) before you begin job hunting on LinkedIn.
- Update your skills and descriptions. Max out the number of skills you can possibly add to Linkedin (50) and revise all your descriptions to focus on the value you bring, rather than listing duties performed at each job.
Tips for using InMessage
- Message your connections. When you notice that you have a direct connection to your ideal company, message the person! Ask them how they are, how the job’s going, and let them know you’d be interested in knowing more about what it’s like to work there. Referrals are how 50% of people land their jobs, so definitely take this advice and reach out.
- Talk with recruiters, always. The next time you get a random message from a recruiter, don’t ignore it. Recruiters are real people doing very hard jobs (if we do say so ourselves), and you might be the rare gem they’re looking for. Take the time to kindly respond to every recruiter who writes you, whether or not you’re interested in their pitch. Even if this is not the job you’re looking for, you never know what they’ll pitch to you next.
- Reach out to hiring managers. LinkedIn is great for finding out the exact hiring manager who’ll be reviewing resumes for a position on their team. Visit the company’s LinkedIn profile, find the hiring manager and have a short script that includes: who you are, your title, and be sure to make it personal. Mention any mutual acquaintances, too, which will help bring familiarity to your name plus more people who can vouch for you.
Tips for using Boards
- Interact and follow. Yes, there are LinkedIn influencers, and some of them will provide incredible career advice. It’s great to follow the influencers that you vibe with. But we’re also talking about keeping up with your peers and people you look up to, making an effort to interact with them whenever they post about something close to your heart.
- Post worthwhile content. Reciprocate others’ giving by posting about cool jobs, great advice, personal success, and career-changing news—whatever gets you pumped about your job, share it with your connections once in a while. Posting also helps to remind people about your interests and, just maybe, they’ll think of you when your interests align with a job posting they see.
Tips for using LinkedIn Groups
- Join groups to expand your interest. Maybe you’re looking to make a career change or expand your network on LinkedIn. Maybe you're looking for advice on working in a certain industry. Groups can help you meet others from a variety of companies and help you form new connections around the things you love.
- Use groups to connect with leaders. There’s no shame in scoping out and joining the same groups as potential mentors or influencers. You probably have the same interests! Introduce yourself and engage in the discussions. You’ll learn more about the niche and maybe forge new connections with future collaborators.
Tips for using notifications
- Enroll in job alerts at your favorite companies. You’ll get all the jobs you’re looking for straight to your inbox. This tip is especially useful for new grads. Revise and reevaluate once a year as you gain interest in different companies and jobs.
- Send congrats to coworkers. This tip is super easy but often overlooked. You know those emails notifying you about friends switching roles or getting promoted? Act on them. It’s as simple as sending a little heart or writing “congrats!” on their update. It’ll show how supportive you are, remind them you’re a genuine team player who gets psyched when others win, and it’ll help you stay in touch.
- Set boundaries. If there are connections you’d rather not make, it’s ok to ignore any notifications that pertain to strangers or former coworkers you’d no longer like to associate with. Remember this is your professional space and you get to decide who is let in.
Any don’ts?
- Steer clear of using EasyApply. There are a couple of pitfalls with this feature. For one, it won’t always hold the formatting of your resume. Another issue is that it dumps all applications on the virtual desk of recruiters, who really don’t have the time to review them all. If the job is very important to you, take the time and do it right on the company’s website.
- Don’t entirely limit yourself to LinkedIn. We know, we said it’s the best way to find a job, don’t discount other methods of landing that next gig. Emailing, using social media and good-old-fashioned IRL coffee meet-ups are still great ways to make connections that stick.
We’ve got a bunch of openings right here, too, if you’re looking...
