LinkedIn is a social media designed for networking with professionals who connect according to common industry, geography, specialties, career goals, ideas, and more.
Used correctly, it conveys the same information as a good resume and establishes an entire host of relationships that cannot be targeted using traditional job search methods.
Step 1: Create a Profile
Remember:
- Your profile is a resume, interview, and reference document all in one.
- Pay close attention to the content, layout, and organization of your LinkedIn profile. Your profile is your first impression, so periodically update it with new accomplishments.
How to create and update your LinkedIn profile:
- Create your profile by going to the main LinkedIn site.
- Use relevant keywords that match job descriptions in your field to improve your profile’s search visibility.
- Double check all spelling and grammar.
- Think of an employer scanning your profile – what do they see? Make sure they catch all the important things.
- Manually update your headline with a catchy but professional phrase that conveys your brand. Show your unique qualities.
- Use your summary to expand your headline. Don’t just re-list your experience. Rather, emphasize qualities that you want them to pick up from your resume.
- Link your profile to other social networks that you use professionally.
Check out our article, How can I optimize my LinkedIn profile for my career?
Step 2: Connect
You need to be strategic with your profile. Once you have crafted a profile that represents your skills, the next step is to locate people who also have LinkedIn profiles and “establish connections” with them.
- Start by connecting with friends and family.
- Then, move onto people you’ve worked with in the past or currently.
- Connect strategically. Quality connections are more valuable than quantity – connect with those who know your work or are in your target field.
- Personalize your connection requests by mentioning how you met or why you’re interested in connecting. This increases the chance of a positive response.
Step 3: Get Recommendations
When asking for a recommendation, ask a range of people who can talk about different aspects of your brand. Think about supervisors, mentors, colleagues, professors, or coaches who know:
- your greatest strength
- your ability to work on a team
- how you manage your greatest weakness
- your leadership capabilities
It’s important to be strategic about who you ask since their recommendation will appear on your profile. Try to get at least one recommendation for each work experience.
Step 4: Join Groups
Groups on LinkedIn are a great way to find people with shared interests and to network. Ask these important questions:
- How active is the group? Focus on active groups that have regular posts and engagement. A well-maintained group helps you build valuable connections.
- How many people are in the group? Sometimes a small group of 30 is the perfect intimate setting for good relationship building. For others, they will be looking for a larger group that will expose them to a wide range of diverse people.
Once you choose groups that you want to be a part of, you must try to integrate yourself. Build rapport by joining conversations and adding value to discussions before reaching out to connect.
Step 5: Job Search
Use search to research companies of interest, enabling you to see stats on the company, current employees, and more. You can find potential contacts, Brooklyn College Alumni, and organize informational interviews.
- Use LinkedIn’s ‘Open to Work’ feature to signal your interest privately or publicly, depending on your preferences.
- You can also express interest by using the “I’m Interested” button located under the “About.” This allows you to privately demonstrate interest in working for a company and get on a recruiter’s radar before you even put in an application.
Check out these resources on LinkedIn’s Job Search.
- LinkedIn Premium
- LinkedIn Learning (free with a Brooklyn Public Library Card)
- About.com Job Searching on LinkedIn
Step 6: Maintain
As mentioned earlier, it’s very important for you to maintain your LinkedIn profile even after you have found a job. Request new recommendations periodically from trusted colleagues or supervisors after significant projects or roles. This keeps your profile fresh and credible.
Step 7: Additional Tips
- Emphasis on Personal Branding: Create a personal brand on LinkedIn, as it’s increasingly important for differentiating oneself. This can include tips on building a consistent brand through the profile picture, banner image, and content style.
- Skills and Endorsements: Listing skills and getting endorsements can help profiles appear more credible and appealing to recruiters.
- Activity Level and Engagement: Staying active by engaging with others’ content (e.g., commenting, liking) and sharing relevant industry updates can help keep their profiles visible and strengthen connections.
- Utilizing LinkedIn Tools: AI-generated profile summaries and insights on skills in demand.
- Networking Events: LinkedIn now has event features for webinars, virtual meetups, and industry events. Attending and engaging in these events is a good networking strategy.
- Following Industry Influencers: Recommend following key influencers and companies in their industry, as this can provide insights and keep them updated on trends.