Using Linkedin to find a job faster has never been this easy. According to research, 89% of recruiters use LinkedIn when looking for prospective employees. This is a clear indication that if you are in the job search process, you have a higher chance to find a job courtesy of this social networking site.
LinkedIn is home to over 706 million members and up to 50 million companies that are listed on the site. Recruiters use the site to vet and hunt for candidates who best fit their need. How then do you ensure that you stand out in such a vast network?
Here are tips and the best way you can use LinkedIn to find a job faster!.
Build a professional profile
The main aim of building a profile on any social networking site is to have an online presence. Unlike Facebook or Instagram, LinkedIn requires a more professional and well thought out profile for you to get noticed by recruiters.
A professional profile starts with a professional profile picture that will simply help with the credibility of your profile.
This, however, is not enough. Ensure your profile is complete with all your updated skills and recent experiences as well as important documents such as a comprehensive resume.
A LinkedIn profile will not only help you to get noticed but create countless opportunities for you. To ensure that your profile is complete, make use of the profile strength meter.
This tool will help you analyze the strength of your profile and offer guidance on what needs to be improved. Do not stop here. Regularly update your profile to increase your searchability on the site.
Let your headline speak for you.
A LinkedIn headline is simply a brief description of who you are and what you are about. The headline appears directly below your name on the profile and will also appear during a search.
An effective headline will determine whether or not the recruiter will click on your profile or not. A headline could include your most valuable skills, your field of expertise or your current position at Company X.
The trick to having an enticing headline is that it has to be short and sweet. To do this ensure that you tailor it to fit the audience you want to attract, jargon-free and most importantly keep it professional.
If you are just starting out be sure to have a look at some of the examples of LinkedIn headlines that will act as a guide for you.
Build your network.
Now that you already have a professional profile with an equally enticing headline, it is time you work on building your network.
Start by connecting with contacts you already know and then go ahead and connect with professionals and companies that you would want to work for.
By doing this, you will be able to stay updated with their activity as well as any other job listings that they may post on their profile.
Engage with the content they publish by either giving feedback, sharing and even asking questions relevant to their brand.
This shows that you are interested in and keeps you informed as well. Be sure to check out the tips on how to build a vast network on LinkedIn.
Let recruiters know you are open for work
Another best way to use LinkedIn to find a job faster is by ensuring that your recruiters are aware of your availability.
How do you do this? Make use of the #OpenToWork feature on your profile by enabling it so as to make it easy for recruiters to find you.
In as much as a professional profile with an engaging headline and a strong network go a long way in directing recruiters to your profile, letting them know that you are open for new opportunities is equally important.
After you have done this, ensure that your profile has your contact information; phone number and email address to help them reach out to you for that next opportunity.
Search for jobs
When using LinkedIn, you do not have to necessarily rely on the fact that you have already informed recruiters that you are open for work.
Instead, be proactive by searching for jobs on LinkedIn’s jobs tab. The easiest and fastest way to do this is by typing in keywords and phrases on the search tab of the jobs you are interested in and those related.
After you have found what you are looking for, be sure to create a job alert for the respective areas of interests that will notify you immediately there is a job listing and furthermore those that are actively recruiting.
Through job alerts, you have the chance to be an early applicant and by saving these jobs you are able to track their progress and still be on the lookout for more opportunities.
Find and join professional groups
LinkedIn groups is another platform that can find a job faster. Here the user is able to interact and network with like-minded professionals with similar interests and in the same line of work.
It is in these groups that members will post and share upcoming opportunities such as partnering in projects or any other full-time offers. LinkedIn allows you to be a member of up to 100 groups, which have a limit of 2 million members.
Now, as this may offer a great window of networks, you need to ensure that you are in a manageable number of groups that are more relevant to your brand and to your professional goals.
Also, it is not enough to join these groups. Go a step further and be active and let others know that you exist.
These are just a few but effective ways you can use LinkedIn to find a job and get recruiters to notice you.
Remember to ensure that your profile is constantly updated with your skills and experiences and get your networks to recommend you on your previous engagements so as to build your credibility and authenticity.
