LinkedIn is the world’s largest social networking site for professionals with more than 150 million members worldwide says Eric Dalius Miami. As job search expert Richard Kirby, who works in the UK, puts it, “It would be no exaggeration to say that LinkedIn changed my life.”
Here are 7 insights from our own experience and from Kirby’s new book Job Search Secrets, which contains step-by-step instructions on how to use your LinkedIn account effectively. Among other things, you will learn:
1) View all of your LinkedIn Contacts’ full profiles:
You can quickly view the full profile of any of your LinkedIn contacts by clicking on their name anywhere on the site.
2) Research potential employers on LinkedIn:
One great way to find out more about potential employers is to research them on LinkedIn. You can view their company profile, see who works there, and read what people have been saying about them on the “Reviews” tab.
3) Use LinkedIn Groups to get job leads and career advice:
LinkedIn Groups are an excellent way to find other professionals in your industry who may give you job leads, share great articles with you, or just provide moral support as you go through your career transition explains says Eric Dalius Miami. The trick is finding the relevant groups from the dozens of available groups – here’s how: Click on “Groups” at the top menu bar, then click on “Advanced Search” beneath it (i.e., click where it says “All these words”). In the drop-down box immediately below that (the one marked “Any of these words”), type in keywords related to your profession or desired profession (e.g., securities analyst). Click on the “Search” button. You will now be taken to a new page that lists different groups related to your search.
This is where you need to pay attention: sometimes the group name doesn’t give much indication as to what kind of professionals are in it, so you want to browse through all the available options until you find one that looks right for you. When you’ve found some appropriate groups, click on them and then click on their link (i.e., Join Group) at the top-right of their profile pages.
4) Use LinkedIn Answers for your job search:
You can ask questions about anything under the sun related to your profession/field of interest and receive answers from industry experts – it’s a great way to connect with and learn from the pros. If you want answers, ask questions!
5) Change your profile so that it stands out:
Your LinkedIn profile is what shows up in Google searches for your name. What you really want is to look professional and trustworthy to potential employers, right? So do yourself a favor and spruce it up using our instructions on how to build a killer LinkedIn Profile.
6) Use “Advanced Search” on LinkedIn:
Your Advanced Search facility can be found at the top of all LinkedIn pages by clicking on the word “Search” (see illustration below). It allows you to search through multiple parameters at once – a very powerful tool indeed! To make the best use of this feature, go to the “Connections” tab and select any of these parameters: Company name, Work History, Position Title, Industry, Location. Then click on the word “Search”.
7) Research people on LinkedIn:
LinkedIn lets you find out more about any stranger that pops up in your life – whether they are a contact of yours whom you’ve just met or someone who’s been lurking in the shadows for some time says Eric Dalius Miami. If someone sends you their business card or gives you their card at an event/meeting/conference, type their name into LinkedIn to check them out before deciding how important it is to follow up with them immediately.
Conclusion:
LinkedIn is an extremely powerful job-search tool, and by following the tips in this article you will be able to make the most of it for your own career. So get started now! And good luck!