Allan Yu
In a world so connected, we can still wonder how to connect. How do you meet the right people? Do you have to be in the right place, at the right time, to open that door to employment?
There was a time when job searching required you to know the right people or at least have someone introduce you to a person who could open that door for you, the door to a bigger professional arena or a new career path. While this still plays a crucial role in making the right connections for employment, fortunately, you also have a few new and effective ways to find a job.
It’s recommended that you connect with our Employment Ontario Services when you’re job searching. Our personalized employment services will give you the support you need throughout your job hunting process. However, when you’re looking for employment, using every tool in your toolkit is important.
This is where LinkedIn comes in. The platform has been around since 2003, but there can still be some confusion around exactly what its purpose is and how to use it. LinkedIn is a social media networking platform with a focus on business. It allows people and businesses from around the globe to connect with other professionals. The platform is designed to share information, market products and services, find employment and form business-to-business relationships.
Before we elaborate on these ten steps, it’s important to remember to authentically represent yourself. It’s not only about the content of the information. A well-represented and authentic profile delivered in a professional context can create more employment opportunities. Your LinkedIn profile is a powerful self-branding tool. If a recruiter within LinkedIn or outside of the network type your name into the search engine, you now have a personal brand showing in the search results.
Here are 10 tips for using LinkedIn to find employment opportunities:
1. Use LinkedIn As a Search Engine
It’s important to remember that LinkedIn is a search engine. With this in mind, you can use keywords to help your job search and narrow down the companies you want to work with. The ideal employment situation is just around the corner if you are willing to go looking for it. It’s also a great pre-interview company research tool. Use it to your advantage and rock that interview!
2. Create a Compelling And Up-To-Date Profile
It’s often referred to as a ‘living profile’. Make sure you’re constantly keeping it current and fresh with new content. Complete your profile as well! You want to stand out and get noticed. If you have an unfinished profile, even with a CV or resume uploaded, it won’t be enough to impress.
Bonus tip: This is also a great time to clean up your other social media accounts. Have your personal brand positively reflected no matter the platform recruiters land on.
3. Include a Profile Picture
This is often overlooked but a profile with a photo is clicked on 14 times more and contacted 36 times more than a profile without a picture. Keep it professional. It’s not required that you’re in a suit and tie but shouldn’t be a picture from the wild Christmas party last year. A well-thought-out professional headshot can make the right first impression.
4. Sell Yourself In The Headline
Spend some time thinking about what to write here. The headline is the first thing people see after your name! You want to avoid using terms like ‘Job Searching’, ‘Job Seeker’, ‘Unemployed’, etc. For some recruiters and hiring managers, there is a fine line between actively searching and coming across as desperate.
Instead, take this opportunity to use keywords to highlight your achievements and include a value proposition. Speak about who you are, what you’ve done and where you’re going, and direct it to your target audience. (Who do you want to notice you? What type of employment are you searching for?)
5. Make Your Summary Shine
This is your next opportunity to separate yourself from the crowd. You can let your accomplishments take center stage. Talk about your accomplishments, awards, highlight your skills and any other noteworthy recognition. Instead of using only bullet points, try weaving your successes into an engaging story (professionally, of course!). When done correctly, you’ll be memorable for all the right reasons.
6. Promote All Of Your Skills (fill out all 50!)
If you know anything about SEO, you know that keywords are crucial. A recruiter searching LinkedIn for their next hire could type in a skill like MS Office. If MS Office is listed as a skill, LinkedIn can find your profile as a relevant fit to what they are specifically looking for. This is why filling out all 50 available spots in important. This greatly increases your chance of being seen by a recruiter. There are over 700 million users on the platform but only a small percentage of those users are relevant to your job-search purposes. You need to make it as easy as possible to be found and noticed.
7. Reach Out And Make Connections
Take advantage of LinkedIn’s real-time connection to professionals all over the world. With some guidance on how to make those first impressions, you can build lasting and valuable relationships.
8. Have Someone Vouch For You
Get endorsements and recommendations. The skills you’ve added to your page can be validated with endorsements from within your network. Reach out to your network or those you have worked with and request a written recommendation. This notoriety boost will help your profile stand out when your job searching.
9. Network Your Way Into Employment
The more people you have in your network, the more exposure you get. If Sally knows you have marketing experience, she’s 100% more likely to refer you to her boss when a job opens up if she knows you! Making connections and good impressions can go a long way in finding employment.
10. Engage In The Community
LinkedIn groups provide a place for professionals and businesses to cultivate a valuable community. Professionals in the same industry or of similar interests can group together for quality interactions. It can allow you to establish yourself as an expert in your field in a group outside your immediate network. Be mindful of your activity (don’t overwhelm the forum with a post every 15 minutes), be professional.
Your job search should be a multi-faceted operation. You can leverage our free Employment Ontario Services to help you find you find your next job. We have Employment Centres located across the Greater Toronto Area including Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton and North York. You should also be leveraging your personal network to discover any potential opportunities there.
The most important and most effective strategy would be to maximize the platform that LinkedIn has built. By using these tips and bringing your best foot forward, you can find the ideal employment opportunity and end your job search with the dream job you are looking for.
