How to Use LinkedIn to Get Ahead in your Job Search
We live in an age where social media reigns supreme. Facebook and Instagram keep us connected to our friends, family, celebrities, businesses, and influencers. Apps like Pinterest teach us our next DIY project and are used as our vision boards. Twitter amplifies any thoughts we want to throw out into the universe. But what is LinkedIn? You might be wondering how to use LinkedIn to get ahead?
Now that your personal life exists in the digital realm. Does your career? If you want to be at the top of your game, it should.
LinkedIn is the best social media application for your professional life, hands down.
What exactly is LinkedIn and how does it work?
LinkedIn is a social network. In fact, it’s the world’s largest professional network with over 700 million users. It’s owned by a familiar face: Microsoft. It’s designed to help people make business connections, find jobs, and learn the skill sets needed to succeed in their career trajectories.
Individuals can use LinkedIn to find jobs, message prospective employers, and research companies they’re interested in. It’s accessible from a desktop or mobile app, so it’s always available at your fingertips.
Ready to get started?
This guide is for everyone looking to optimize their professional standing. I’ll walk you through how to use LinkedIn to leverage your skills and experience to get the best job possible.
When it comes to applying for jobs and sprucing up your resume or LinkedIn page, Resume Ninjas can help you create the best calling card for yourself. From assisting you in crafting an industry-appropriate resume to connecting you with your desired network, Resume Ninjas will help you navigate LinkedIn and beyond.
How to use LinkedIn
If you’re actively looking for work, contemplating switching industries, or just looking to level up your skills; it’s time to polish your LinkedIn profile.
The first step is to sign up for a LinkedIn profile if you haven’t already. If you do have one, you’ll need to make sure it’s up to date and complete. This is crucial. Your profile is a representation of you in this current moment. Think of it as your personal brand.
The internal algorithm of the LinkedIn search bar ranks profiles that are marked as “complete” more times than those considered “incomplete”. This means you’re more likely to show up in search queries if LinkedIn deems your profile as “complete”.
To complete your profile, you’ll need to do the following:
1) Add a professional photograph - If you can, have a professional headshot taken. It adds a polished touch to your profile. If you’re not open to headshots, find a good high-quality photo of yourself in professional attire with a neutral background. Remember, this is your first impression.
2) Add a banner photo - Like Facebook, LinkedIn has a “cover image” that represents your profession and/or personality. Pick something aesthetically pleasing and appropriate to your industry.
3) Write a headline - A LinkedIn headline lives at the top of your profile. It’s a place where you can describe what you do in 120 characters or less. This description appears next to your name in search results.
Think of it as a short pitch that should motivate someone to click on your profile. The more captivating it is, the more likely employers will seek you out. I also recommend that you mention your industry and current location in this section.
4) Complete “About” section - This is a space where you can create a summary of your professional experience and what you bring to the table. There’s a 2000 character limit here so you can be much more detailed than your headline. I suggest you mention your current position, any portfolio links you want to provide, and a list of your top skills and accomplishments.
5) Complete the “Experience/Education/Skill Set” portion - Here, you should list out your work experience like you would on a resume. Be specific about dates, titles, and duties at each job.
Next, do the same for the education portion. List any formal education and certificates you’ve received.
Finally, add at least five skill sets to showcase your area of expertise. Be specific and highlight your top traits.
Once you’ve completed your profile, you’re ready to start exploring the world of LinkedIn. The most important thing to do next is to grow your network; connecting you with those you know, and those you wish to know.
How to Use LinkedIn to Grow Your Network
Social platforms are all about making connections. If this is something you’re uncomfortable doing in real life, you can flourish in the digital realm.
Once you’ve completed your profile, start to search for and connect with people you’ve previously worked with. Add all of your email contacts to LinkedIn, from both your personal account and your professional account. The fastest way to grow is to connect with the people you already know.
If you’re looking to further expand your network, it’s easy to find people with a quick search for their names, titles, or even just the company you’re interested in. You can send an invitation to anyone to connect. Likewise, you’ll receive invitations to connect from others, which you can agree to at your discretion.
Once connected, your contacts live in a list called “My Network”. In this list, you’ll find all of your connections and have full access to their LinkedIn profile page as well as their list of connections. These connections are called “second-degree connections”.
The second-degree list is the best place to find like-minded individuals, who already know some of the same people that you do. Professionals are more likely to accept your connection when they see you have connections in common. This is a standard networking practice on LinkedIn.
If you’re interested in connecting with someone for potential advice, job opportunities, etc., it’s best to send them a personalized message when you request to connect. LinkedIn’s algorithm will give you a list of “People you may know” with a “connect” button next to them. Instead of hitting that button, check out the person’s profile, and hit “connect” from their personal page. This allows you to add a personal note to your connection request.
Once they accept your invitation, you can directly message one another over LinkedIn. There’s even a smart reply function (with prompts like “Great, thanks!” and “Nice to meet you!!”) to help keep certain portions of the conversation productive and brief.
Get Recommendations
LinkedIn has a personal testimonial section on every profile which can help boost your legitimacy as a professional. Others can also endorse the skills you have listed in your “Skillset” section to help strengthen the power of your profile.
I think of it as a cyclical system and recommend that you endorse others. It’s best to ask previous colleagues to help build this part of your profile, as they have previous knowledge of your strengths and will help you stand out organically.
Feeling shy about asking? LinkedIn takes the anxiety away with the simple click of a button. When you’re viewing your own profile, scroll down to the “Recommendations” section, and click “Ask to be recommended”. From there, type the name of the connection you’d like to ask for a recommendation in the “Who do you want to ask?” prompt. Select your user and fill out your relationship with them, add in a personalized message, and hit send.
You’ll be notified once your recommendation has been completed. In the meantime, start brainstorming the types of jobs or organizations you’re interested in. It’s that easy!
Research Companies You’re Interested In
It’s very easy to find companies that align with your interests. If you’re interested in a specific company, you can find current job postings and more information about the company by visiting their page.
When you visit a company’s page, you’ll find a summary of what the company does, its location, website, and other contact information. You’ll also be able to see a list of people who are employed there or are otherwise connected to the company. The company page will also sometimes have a “Jobs” tab, which allows you to see any current job openings.
If you’re truly interested in working with a particular company, you can follow them and receive regular updates on your LinkedIn feed. These updates might include articles, new job openings, and important announcements. This provides great insight into the company’s culture and will help you decide if you’re truly interested.
If you’re certain that this company is a fantastic fit for you, go ahead and review your connections to the organization. If you have a first-degree connection there, you should consider reaching out to them to get a referral or gain a bit more of an insider's perspective on the company.
If you don’t have any contacts at the company, you can search through the employees associated with the organization. You can find this list by clicking on the button “See all employees on LinkedIn.” Filter the list so you only see your second-hand connections. Pick the appropriate employee and click on the sharted connections button to see who you have in common. Then, reach out to your first-degree connection to set-up an introduction to your second-degree connection.
If you land an interview with a company, you can use their LinkedIn page to gather information on their history, the number of employees that work there, values, etc. Mentioning your knowledge of the company in the interview will show that you’re up-to-date and keenly interested.
Before your interview, you can also research your future boss and executive team to feel a bit more informed on what’s happening in and around the organization.
Start Job Hunting
Now that your profile is set up and you’re growing your network, let’s talk about how to use LinkedIn to find the job of your dreams.
LinkedIn has a job search function that’s catered to your profile and interests. When you click on the “Jobs” button on your home page, you’ll be prompted to enter a keyword and city for your job search. LinkedIn will then immediately populate your feed with job openings. You can further refine what you’re looking for by using the advanced search option, which can help you narrow location, title, salary, etc.
The best part is that you can save this job search and LinkedIn will send you emails about new job listings regularly. This can drastically reduce the number of hours you spend searching for job postings.
Connect with Recruiters
While you’re researching potential companies and new jobs, keep an eye out for recruiters associated with the organization. If you’re interested in kick-starting the process, reach out to the recruiter via LinkedIn.
Write a brief message to your recruiter indicating your interest in the company, which position you’re hoping to apply for, and a brief blurb about yourself. Be succinct and then hit the connect button.
Recruiters are typically quick to reply and will let you know the best steps to get your application reviewed.
Applying via LinkedIn
Do you know you can apply for some jobs directly on LinkedIn?
Each posting will have its own unique application process. This might mean applying via email, the company website, etc. However, there are plenty of companies streamlining their hiring process using LinkedIn alone. These job postings will have an “Easy Apply” button. When you click this, a pop-up screen will appear on LinkedIn, allowing you to directly apply by answering the company’s questions.
Required fields for “Easy Apply” vary from company to company but they may include contact info, resume, or a skill set questionnaire. Once you’ve answered all the questions, you can review them before submitting the application.
It doesn’t get much easier than that!
Start on LinkedIn Today
In the time of COVID-19, it’s imperative to stay connected socially. It’s also crucial to learn how to use LinkedIn to maximize your career perspectives, connect with like-minded professionals, and boost your online presence and reputation.
Are you ready to pivot your career forward? Resume Ninjas is here to help support you in your job search, including assisting you in building your best LinkedIn profile. From helping you write your resumes, to coaching and mentoring, we’re here to push you toward your best career.