5 LinkedIn tips to get a job
The economy has transformed us into a nation of job seekers. You don’t have to be unemployed to be affected. If you check the want ads when there’s a slide in company profits or a transition in upper management, then you’re influenced by the volatility in today’s job market. Protect yourself by taking advantage of the power of LinkedIn.
With nearly 120 million people using LinkedIn and 1 million more joining every week according to Mashable, you instantly have millions of connections who can view and refer your employment profile. This includes savvy recruiters who use this vast network to look for qualified job candidates.
You can put yourself in the position to stand out by optimizing your LinkedIn profile for searches. Making minor adjustments can put the focus on your unique qualifications and help you get a job:
1. Add a descriptive headline in your profile: Be direct and use search-friendly terms. This section — which appears right below your name — is 115 characters, which gives you plenty of room to add skills that attract recruiters in the industry you’re targeting. Include a “call to action” if it fits with your profession, for instance, “Call for a free evaluation.”
2. Get recommendations: Former co-workers, employers, clients and vendors can provide first-hand testimonials to your skills and work practices. Don’t be shy about asking them for recommendations, but expect that you’ll be asked for a recommendation in return.
3. Optimize the “Specialty” section: This is the perfect opportunity to display your skills and optimize your profile to help recruiters find you. Do a little research on online job boards to identify the best keywords to include as specialties.
4. Target connections: In the “Contact Settings” section of LinkedIn, there’s a section called “Advice for people who want to connect with you.” Here, you can say whom it is you want to connect with, including their professions and the industries they work in. Fill it out to get connections that fit your requirements.
5. Build your network: Ask your co-workers, former co-workers, friends and neighbors to connect with you, and accept most invitations to connect. Join LinkedIn groups that align with your professional interests and participate in their discussions to create even more connections.
When you link with others, know that you’ll also have access to their direct connections. If you see someone in a connection’s network that you’d like to know, ask for an introduction.
There are many other ways to attract the right kind of attention to your LinkedIn profile, like listing your personal website on your profile and writing your summary of experience so that it’s viewable by mobile devices. But above all, make sure you have a profile that’s searchable, easy to read and is uniquely representative of you and your ambitions.
