When searching for a new job, it makes sense to use multiple resources online, offline, and through networking. One of our favorites? LinkedIn. It's our go-to job resource — and it can work for you 24/7 once you’ve established a good profile, defined your search criteria, contacts, and information-gathering techniques.
Read on to learn how to make the most of LinkedIn.
We consider LinkedIn to be one of the most powerful business-related social networking tools ever created.
You can:
And you can accomplish these impressive feats for free!
Here are the three basics to help get you started on the right track:
According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process, so you want to make sure you're putting your best foot forward. You can employ the Job Search Internet Checklist to ensure that employers view only the information that you want them to find...and on LinkedIn, it should be all professional, all the time. Basically, make sure you're posting professional information and content on your LinkedIn account.
Want more social media + job hunting tips? Check out this post!
When you connect with someone new, creating an individual message directed at each contact will gain you more success than firing off a generic "let's connect" request. Mention how you met the person, or if you don't know your potential connection personally, show them how your abilities can be of interest to them so they will welcome your continued communication. Try mentioning work of theirs that you admire and sharing the reason you'd like to connect.
Grow your network and start crafting good relationships by connecting with alumni, peers, colleagues, and industry influencers, and by joining LinkedIn groups and following your dream job companies. Building a network of industry peers can help you get the wide reach needed to maximize valuable relationships. Keep the magic going after your initial connection by engaging with people and companies through the newsfeed on the platform. Push the like button on work anniversaries and updates, share interesting industry news, and comment on your connections' activity.
Want to get even more out of LinkedIn? Perhaps the biggest way to start is by publishing on the platform.
We found this great video full of tips for self-publishing on LinkedIn from Content Marketer Sujan Patel (watch it on YouTube here). LinkedIn Publishing is a cross between traditional blogging and a social network that provides you with a unique opportunity to reach a large audience.
Haven't tried it yet? You should! According to CIO.com:
If you think about why people are doing this today, it really goes back to their professional identities. It helps them build identities that go beyond their connections…and a lot of these posts have also led to opportunities, which is unique to LinkedIn.
CIO magazine cited statistics from 2015, where more than one million users published on the platform. An average of 50,000 articles are added to the platform every week. Typical industries include everything from healthcare and insurance to marketing and politics. Platform algorithms push content out into the world, and the quality of the content is generally pretty solid. People want to put their best writing out there because LinkedIn is linked to their professional personas.
The truth is that everyone wants to hire a thought leader. For companies building their business, publishing on LinkedIn is a low-cost, but effective, way to reach their audience while building credibility. Thought leadership pieces are promotional tools that could help start a conversation with someone you have been trying to get to know. Along the same lines, it can help you expand your personal network, which is never a bad idea.
Anna Julow Roolf, Vice President at BLASTmedia, says, "LinkedIn stands out as a self-publishing platform because of its capability to help users showcase expertise to relevant and interested audiences."
Bonus: The posts come complete with metrics on your readership broken out by industry, job title, and more, which is helpful when trying to determine if you’re targeting the right audience.
How can you best leverage this unique platform? Here are some tips from Sujan Patel:
Just like when writing for a company blog, you want to do your research. What topics are trending and relevant in your industry? Don't just write about what you love — take the time to see what needs to be written about in your industry. Patel suggests looking at the "trending" menu on LinkedIn. Look through the most popular, trending posts, and then identify gaps you could fill that match your specialty.
Also, take time to see what style of posts are popular. Look at influencer post styles and mirror them in your own writing, whether it's how-to guides, short and sweet posts, or Buzzfeed "listicle" style ones.
When it comes to LinkedIn Publishing you don't need to be 100% unique. It's perfectly fine, and recommended, to re-purpose existing content that has worked for you elsewhere. However, don't simply copy and paste former blog posts. "Squeeze more life out of them," says Patel. Try reworking pieces by presenting a different viewpoint or adding new data to them.
Mornings rule when it comes to LinkedIn. Patel has had success posting between 8-9am PST. Check your personal blog stats and social media insights to see what time is most popular for your readers — it might vary.
LinkedIn Publishing is all about promotions. Likes and shares will push your content to more people. To gain velocity, optimize your posting to get shares and likes. Know you'll be posting at 8:45am on Friday? Ask your fans, friends, and family to like and share your content. Regularly share content you find interesting and ask people near and dear to you to share your own content.
Other things you can do to self-promote? Send out an email asking your network to view the post and click the like button. This will increase your chances of getting listed on the sidebar.
Speaking of which...
Want to get that coveted "popular" spot on the trending list? Once your post has picked up some traction, Patel suggests emailing a link to pitch@linkedin.com with a brief description of why they should feature your post. "Did you bring up an interesting topic? Get a lot of shares in a short amount of time? Brag to LinkedIn and ask them to feature you. Even better? Ask a friend or colleague to do so on your behalf," he says.
This last tip is a simple one, but it will extend the life of your post. At the bottom, make sure there's a clear call to action (CTA) suggesting what the reader should do next. Want them to visit your website, follow you on Twitter, or sign up for your newsletter? The CTA reminds them to do so and helps give your post some ROI.
Not sure if writing on LinkedIn is the way to go? We can think of four good reasons to publish on LinkedIn Pulse:
Looking for a new job? LinkedIn is the place to be! Try these six tips for making the most of your digital job hunt.
Use that blurb of text directly under your name to get a Hiring Manager’s attention. Forbes notes that most people just have their title and company listed there — but it’s just a boring old default setting.
Instead, write a compelling description, complete with SEO-friendly keywords describing what you can do. If you’re a Web Designer, it might go something like, “Web Designer who turns boring websites into gorgeous money-making machines.” This tells them what you do and why they need to contact you.
Does your profile list you as an all-star?
Your LinkedIn profile can be so much more than a static online resume—use it to showcase an awesome infographic you designed, your YouTube channel presentations, the digital version of your portfolio—anything that shows, rather than just tells your story.
Optimize your profile for search by using keywords that will draw prospective employers to you. Keywords can be distributed throughout your profile wherever they fit, but make certain that they are in your title and summary. That way the most essential portions of your profile will show up in searches.
And don’t forget to include a great photo and ask some of your trusted colleagues to post recommendations for you.
Not sure if your photo is good or not? Keep these tips in mind:
Start following a list of companies you’re interested in working for on LinkedIn. Their status updates and other posts will give you insights regarding their latest news, products, and possible job rumblings — even potential problems the company may be encountering that you could jump in and help solve!
That’s great material you can use in your approach to the company when you send in your resume and cover letter, or “Pain Letter” as Ryan suggests—and great intelligence for a potential interview!
Go to the Connections menu and navigate down to “Add Connections.” Use your email address to help LinkedIn find more first-degree connections you may have overlooked in the past. The bigger your first-degree connections list is, the bigger your second-degree connections list becomes, which can lead to further potential connections and opportunities.
If any of your first-degree connections are linked with people in any of your target companies, ask what they know about the company and the culture, and find out what you can about your potential hiring manager. After all, referrals have been proven to be better hires, and LinkedIn can help you jump over the HR department wall if you have a first-degree connection who is connected to someone in your target company.
Just navigate to your target person and click on the drop-down arrow to the right of the “Connect” button and click “Get Introduced.” Then your first-degree friend can help facilitate that introduction.
Your LinkedIn profile is so much more than a resume. Use it to tell the story of your career, list accomplishments, and show off projects.
Don't forget to make use of your summary section. This is a great place to tell your story — where you've been and where you want to go.
While LinkedIn has more sophisticated offerings available for a fee, this platform allows for robust networking that won’t cost you anything but an investment of your time. Here's how to expand your network:
Upload your contacts from Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, or another email platform. LinkedIn will allow you to send a generic message to each contact inviting them to connect, but we recommend customizing your approach by reaching out individually to these contacts.
The platform will immediately begin to suggest ways to expand your network by connecting with “people you may know.” We recommend you decide early on what kind of a network you want to build, and follow the rules you establish to build a strong and effective cohort of business connections. Asking to connect with someone you don’t know is always risky, but you could review your existing contacts to see whom they know — and then ask them for an introduction via email?
As you’re sorting through all the connections, note that you can also organize your network via tags for location or lead source, as well as other categories.
If you're looking for new connections or a new job, make sure to connect with those friendly Recruiters sending you InMail. They have vast, deep networks and are always looking to make a match between employers and employees.
Professional Recruiters know industry insider information, such as:
No one is more connected to your industry and the work world in general than a Recruiter, which makes them a unique and vital resource for both HR Managers and job-seeking career professionals. Start with the Artisan team here.
Once you’re set up, we recommend logging in at least once a week (if not more). LinkedIn has all the benefits of a personal social media platform like Facebook, but was strictly designed for the industry professional.
Follow the unwritten rules, keep more personal posts to other platforms, and use LinkedIn the way it was intended.
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