The Best Way to Use LinkedIn as a Job Seeker

LinkedIn is more than just a social media platform for professionals. It is also a powerful tool for job seekers who want to showcase their skills, experience, and network with potential employers and industry experts. In this article, I will share some expert tips on how to use LinkedIn effectively to find and land your dream job.

The Best Way to Use LinkedIn as a Job Seeker

1. Create a Profile that Reflects Your Personal Brand and Career Goals

For starters, your LinkedIn profile is your online resume and portfolio. It is the first impression that recruiters and hiring managers will have of you, so, it is important to make sure it is professional, catchy, and relevant to the kind of job that you are hunting.

Elements of a good LinkedIn profile:

Photo: Use a clear, high-quality photo of yourself that shows your face and reflects your personality. Avoid selfies, group photos, or casual shots. A professional photo can increase your profile views by up to 14 times. In this case, you can opt to use a passport-sized photo.
Headline: Your headline is the short phrase that appears under your name. A good headline should be able to summarize your current role, industry, and value proposition. Remember to use keywords that are relevant to the jobs you’re interested in and make it stand out. A catchy headline can increase your profile views by up to 40 times.
Summary: Your summary is the section where you can tell your story and highlight your achievements and goals. It should be concise, engaging, and tailored to your target audience. Use bullet points, numbers, and keywords to make it easy to read and scan. A compelling summary can increase your profile views by up to 10 times.

2. Build Your Network by Connecting with People You Know and People You Want to Know

As a networking platform, LinkedIn allows you to connect with people who can help you advance your career or learn new things.

Useful and practical tips that will help you build good connections on the LinkedIn platform

Connect with people you know: Start by connecting with people you already know, such as colleagues, former coworkers, classmates, mentors, friends, and family. These people can vouch for your skills, introduce you to new opportunities, or provide referrals.
Joining groups related to your industry or interests: LinkedIn has millions of groups where you can join discussions, share insights, ask questions, and learn from others. Groups are also a good way to find and connect with people who share your interests or work in your field.
Participating in events: LinkedIn hosts various events where you can meet new people, learn new skills, or discover new opportunities. You can browse events by topic, location, or date, and register for the ones that interest you. Events are also a good way to showcase your expertise and build your reputation.

3. Set Your Job Preferences and Turn on the Open to Work Feature

LinkedIn allows you to indicate the types of jobs, locations, and companies you’re interested in. This will help recruiters and hiring managers find you more easily when they search for candidates. You can set your job preferences by:

How to set your job preferences on LinkedIn

Going to the Jobs tab: On the Jobs tab, you can see recommended jobs based on your profile and preferences. You can also search for jobs using filters such as keywords, location, industry, function, experience level, etc.
Clicking on Career Interests: On the Career Interests section, you can specify what kind of job you’re looking for, such as full-time, part-time, contract, remote, etc. You can also select the locations and industries you’re interested in.
Turning on the Open to Work feature: On the Open to Work section, you can let recruiters know that you’re actively looking for a job. You can also choose whether to display a badge on your profile that says “Open to Work” or keep it private.

4. Use LinkedIn’s Job Search Feature to Find and Apply for Jobs that Match Your Criteria

LinkedIn has a powerful job search feature that allows you to find and apply for jobs that match your criteria. You can use LinkedIn’s job search feature by:

How to use the LinkedIn job search feature

Saving your searches: You can save your searches and get notified when new jobs are posted that match your criteria. You can also create job alerts that will send you email notifications or push notifications on your phone.
Researching the companies: Before applying for a job, you should research the company and its culture. You can do this by visiting the company’s page on LinkedIn and following it to get updates on its news and openings. You can also see who works there and how you’re connected to them.
Applying for jobs: When you find a job that interests you, you can apply for it directly on LinkedIn or on the company’s website. You can also use the Easy Apply feature that allows you to apply with just one click using your LinkedIn profile.

5. Get Endorsements and Recommendations from Your Connections

Endorsements and recommendations are ways of validating your skills and work performance on LinkedIn. They can boost your credibility and showcase your value to potential employers.

Proven ways that will help you get endorsements and recommendations on LinkedIn

Asking for them: The best way to get endorsements and recommendations is to ask for them. You can ask former colleagues, supervisors, clients, or anyone who can vouch for your skills or work. You can also offer to endorse or recommend them in return.
Giving them: Another way to get endorsements and recommendations is to give them. You can endorse or recommend your connections for their skills or work. This will not only show your appreciation and support but also encourage them to reciprocate.

6. Share Relevant Content on LinkedIn to Demonstrate Your Expertise and Interest in Your Industry

Sharing relevant content on LinkedIn is a good way to demonstrate your expertise and interest in your industry. It will also help you establish yourself as a thought leader and attract more attention from recruiters and hiring managers.

Types of content that you can share on LinkedIn

Articles, blog posts, videos, or other content that provides value to your network: You can share content that you find interesting, informative, or inspiring. You can also add your own commentary or opinion to spark a conversation or debate.
Creating your own content using LinkedIn’s publishing platform: You can also create your own content using LinkedIn’s publishing platform. You can write articles, stories, or posts about topics that you’re passionate or knowledgeable about. You can also use multimedia elements such as images, videos, or slides to make your content more engaging.

7. Use LinkedIn to Network for a Job by Reaching Out to People Who Work at the Companies or Roles You’re Interested In

LinkedIn can help you network for a job by reaching out to people who work at the companies or roles you’re interested in. You can use LinkedIn to network for a job by:

Asking for informational interviews: Informational interviews are informal conversations where you can learn more about a company, a role, or an industry from someone who works there. You can ask for informational interviews by sending a polite and personalized message to someone who works at the company or role you’re interested in. You can explain who you are, why you’re interested in talking to them, and what you hope to learn from them.
Asking for referrals: Referrals are recommendations from someone who works at the company or knows someone who works there. Referrals can increase your chances of getting hired by up to 15 times. You can ask for referrals by sending a polite and personalized message to someone who works at the company or role you’re interested in. You can explain who you are, why you’re interested in working there, and how you can add value to the company.
Asking for advice: Advice is guidance or feedback from someone who has experience or expertise in the field you’re interested in. Advice can help you improve your skills, prepare for interviews, or negotiate offers. You can ask for advice by sending a polite and personalized message to someone who works at the company or role you’re interested in. You can explain who you are, what you’re looking for, and what kind of advice you need.

That is it guys, using these practical tips will help you get your dream job on LinkedIn. If you have any questions, contact us or leave your comment below and we’ll get to you.