How To Make The Most Of Your Linkedin Job Search
So, you’ve finally graduated and now it’s time to begin your LinkedIn job search- but where do you start? LinkedIn is a social networking site that’s primarily for companies and professionals so it’s a great place to look for graduate jobs. You can use LinkedIn’s own job searching tool and filter by field, job titles or search for specific locations. But first things first, you need to make sure your profile is the best it can be. Here’s how to make the most of your LinkedIn job search.
Keep your profile fresh
You’re not going to get anywhere with your LinkedIn job search if you haven’t properly completed your own LinkedIn profile. Your profile is how potential employers are going to find out what relevant experience you have so it’s your chance to really sell yourself. Make sure that you have completed all of the essential sections such as education and all relevant employment and work experience. It’s also a good idea to put a photo in so people can add a face to a name (no drunk party photos though).
Add links to your content
LinkedIn can double up like a professional portfolio platform so be sure to add in any relevant links to your work. Whether these are to published articles, videos that you’ve made or a link to your own website, adding links is the easiest way to showcase all of the amazing work that you’ve done.
Network
LinkedIn is first and foremost, a social networking site so it’s important to connect with others on it. Reaching out to past and current colleagues, peers and companies that you would like to work for is an important part of networking. It really helps to get your name out there and might eventually lead you to someone who will give you a job.
Write your headline
The headline section is your chance to really stand out from the crowd but all too often it gets ignored by job hunters. Apart from your name and photo, the headline is the only thing a potential employer will see when conducting a search on LinkedIn so it’s important to make it count. You don’t need to write much, just a couple of lines summing up your key skills and what you’re looking for, but it should be clear so that a potential employer can assess pretty quickly if you may be right for the job.
Add in unpaid or other relevant work
Don’t think that it’s just paid work experience that should make it on to your LinkedIn profile. Be sure to add in any internships or projects that you have done in your spare time or in college, that are relevant to your professional career. These will really help to bulk out your experience and make you stand out.
Join groups
You can really utilise groups on LinkedIn when carrying out your LinkedIn job search. To find groups, simply search for them in the search bar at the top of your homepage. There are plenty of these to choose from and they can be selected based on interests or organizations. Joining the right groups can help connect you to the right people including potential employers, as well as keep you up to date with everything that’s going on in the world of work.
