When using LinkedIn as a part of your job search, your level of success depends largely on how much effort you put into using the social media site and exactly how you put it to work for you.
Following these tips will help you maximize on your LinkedIn social media account to find the job of your dreams.
- Join groups. Open networking groups on LinkedIn are usually full of recruiters looking for new clients and human resource managers searching for talented employees. Also, join LinkedIn groups related to your occupation to look for opportunities and make new contacts in your field.
- Use your network. Enlist the help of people that you already know on LinkedIn by letting them know you’re looking for a job. You can also use your network to get introductions to managers, recruiters and human resource managers that can help with your job search.
- Conduct a social media audit. If the people who are hiring you use LinkedIn for business, there’s a good chance they use other social media sites for business or personal use. Review your own accounts on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and other social media sites. If you have any posts, pictures, videos or links that may be objectionable or diminish your professional appearance, set your accounts to private in case prospective employers seek you out.
- Set goals. Establish how many new leads you want to generate each day or week on LinkedIn. Count any action you take toward meeting someone new or applying for an opening as a lead. If your leads fail to yield results, adjust the size of your goal accordingly.
For more help on using LinkedIn for job search, download the free Gateway Guide.