LinkedIn is the professional social network on the net. If you're on the job market, whether you're looking for a job or you already have one, surely you have a profile on LinkedIn. If you haven't, it is time now to do it. The great majority of job seekers use LinkedIn to hire their employees, as it is a better tool than a paper CV. But joining this social network and updating your profile from time to time won't be enough to get you a job. You need to surf the network, look for contacts and participate in LinkedIn groups to make yourself visible to recruiters and get the job you've been looking for. If you're a recent graduate looking for your first job or you want to leave your current job and look for something better, here at OneHowTo we explain you how to use LinkedIn to get a job.
Write a good headline
The headline is the description that appears below your name and it's the first thing recruiters will see. Therefore, it needs to be very concise and should capture what your strongest skill is. Think about keywords that recruiters would use when looking for candidates. Consider what they might look for and include it in your headline. For example, if you're a recent International Law graduate and want to get a job in Human Rights, your description could be "International lawyer specialized in Human Rights". This headline contains the keywords that recruiters might type on the search for their candidates.
The headline is your professional description, so you should write your professional expectations.
Include a picture
Your profile picture is mandatory if you want recruiters to look at your profile. Profiles without picture are often ignored because they look as if the person behind it was trying to hide something or wasn't real at all. However, not every picture will work for your LinkedIn profile. Choose a picture where you can see your face properly and you're dressed appropriately. Following the previous example of the International lawyer, the picture for his or her profile should show him or her dressed in a formal suit or at least formally dressed, accordingly to the position the person is applying for. On the contrary, if you're a preschool teacher looking for a job at a kindergarten, your clothes will probably be different and you won't need a picture showing a suit.
Be aware that the recruiters will look at your picture so it should represent what you're looking for in the job.
Fill in all the sections from your profile and include all relevant experience
Your LinkedIn profile will have many sections and it is advisable that you fill in all the information the website is asking you. The more complete a profile is, the more chances that a recruiter will stop by.
Make sure to include all the relevant experience related (or not) with the job you're looking for. This will help you mostly if you're a recent graduate with no previous experience yet. Write down any voluntary experience or anything you've done during your school or university years. Maybe you've volunteered at the local shelter and this might not be directly connected to the job you're looking for, but it will show recruiters you have a helping spirit.
At the skills section, pick up the most relevant and the ones that will make you good at your job.
To make the most of your LinkedIn profile we advise you to take a look at our article on how to improve your LinkedIn profile.
Build your network
LinkedIn is a social network, so take advantage of it! Networking is one of the best features of LinkedIn, because it gives you the opportunity to contact personally with that person in that company you would like to work in. Connect with your classmates and people from your university and check their connections. You might find out the HR manager from the company of your dreams is closer to you than you thought. Send requests to everyone you know and start looking from there.
Once you've connected with your network, ask them for help. Send personalized messages telling them you're looking for a job and the field you would like to work in. Maybe they know someone and can help you get a job!
Write only the best at the job descriptions
Writing that you worked in a coffee shop in your neighborhood when you were 18 years old is not relevant if you're looking for a job as a consultant in a company. We've all done various job types but not all are connected to the ultimate job we want to get. Only write the "good" jobs you've done, i.e. the ones connected to the field you're interested in.
If you're a recent graduate and haven't had a "proper" job, give more strength to your education section. It is completely understandable that you don't have many experience if you've just left university, but fill out the education information thoroughly instead.
Follow your target companies
If you've got a list of companies you'd like to work in or you're interested in, you can follow them on their company page on LinkedIn. This way you'll be updated with everything they're doing, from opening new branches to hiring candidates.
Participate in groups, don't make yourself invisible!
There are different types of groups on LinkedIn: industry specific, entry level specific and job type specific. Getting involved in groups and participating in forums or discussions makes yourself visible to recruiters and other members. Besides, you can learn many things from professionals from your same field that have more experience than you because people share their insights, opinions and knowledge about a million topics.
If you had no idea this feature existed on LinkedIn, take a look at how to find groups to join on LinkedIn.
Be active
Remeber to use your LinkedIn and update your profile regularly. This way employers will see your active and interested about finding a job.
Don't tell, show!
Your LinkedIn profile shouldn't be like a paper resumé. It offers more possibilities given that it's an online CV. Instead of only telling that you filmed short ads for a movie festival, write the link to the videos on your page so your future employers will be able to see it.
Write a good CV
A fundamental part of finding a job is writing a good CV. At OneHowTo we have different articles to improve the way you write your CV, though if you want to go one step further, there are other specialized sites such as LiveCareer that will help you prepare a good CV and find a job.
If you want to read similar articles to How To Use LinkedIn To Get A Job, we recommend you visit our Employment category.