How to Use LinkedIn to Get a Job

Almost every job seeker knows they should be on LinkedIn. But do they really know how to use it to their advantage?

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To get started, here’s what your profile should contain:

• A professional headshot
• Contact information, including social media profiles
• A link to your resume
• Your educational background
• Details about your job experience
• Relevant industry skills
• Any volunteer experience you have

Once you have your profile created, you can use it to your advantage in your job search. Here’s how:

Join groups

Look for groups in your field or industry, or the industry in which you want to work. These could be gender-related, interest-related, location-based, etc. The great part of groups are all of the conversations they start about your industry or skills. These can be a great resource for job seekers — simply join the group, monitor conversations, and join in when you have something to add to a conversation.

If you can’t find any groups that appeal to you, make one! Invite people to join it and get a conversation started.

Connect with companies

LinkedIn is a great way to connect with companies on a professional level. If you’re looking for a job with a particular company or in a certain industry, check LinkedIn to feel out the amount of openings. From there, you can look at individual members of the organization to see what kind of skills and experience they have, and in turn, what kind of skills and experience you’ll want to build to help get a job there.

Import your contacts

LinkedIn is primarily a networking site, so use it to your advantage. Import your contacts from your email and other social media accounts and connect with as many people as possible. The more connections you have, the more recommendations and endorsements you can get.

Also, the more connections you have, the more likely you are to find a job, simply because you have a bigger network. That means your profile will get more exposure and you could hear about more openings.

Ask for — and give — recommendations

Recommendations help you establish credibility. Don’t be afraid to ask your contacts to recommend you or endorse you. Think about it — if companies have to choose between a candidate who comes highly recommended and one who doesn’t, who do you think they’ll choose?

In addition, ask people to endorse the skills you list. The more people endorse you, the better; it shows companies you can actually do what you say you can do.

Read articles

LinkedIn is full of articles giving advice on how to find and get a job, important interview skills, and other advice relevant to job seekers. Spend a few minutes each day reading them to brush up on relevant skills and learn about current hiring trends.

LinkedIn was designed to connect professionals. Job seekers can take advantage of this to help them with their job search. Create a profile and start connecting with companies and your contacts to nab a new job.

What are other ways to use LinkedIn to get a job?