Once upon a time people used to browse newspapers and magazines to look for a job. They also walked down the road, looking for “Now hiring!” signs. When they needed a job, they contacted people, collected personal recommendations, met job seekers and, if they made a good impression, they were in.
After the WW2, people started using CVs to resume their professional career, but still they used to bring it personally to hirers.
Today we live in a different world. The first phase of hiring is not human anymore, but we usually present ourselves through the web, sending CVs from our PC to email boxes around the world.
In today world job hunting and social media play an essential role, and digital presence is crucial.
There are many and many tools for job search, but probably the most important and famous is LinkedIn.
LinkedIn can really connect you with employers all over the world simply because almost everybody is on LinkedIn nowadays. It is quite uncommon to find a company that does not have a profile and does not use it to post new openings.
The reason is simple: LinkedIn is currently the widest marketplace for job search. There is a lot of supply and a lot of demand for jobs. However, for this same reason, it is not that simple to get noticed. Therefore it’s important to have a good profile and know how to use LinkedIn effectively to be noticed by HR managers.
How to get noticed on LinkedIn
1) Follow who you like (and be quick to apply!)
First of all, you should follow the companies you would like to work for, so that you can always stay updated and know when they are looking for someone new. And, most important, you can be one of the firsts to send your application for the job. Unfortunately, LinkedIn is a bit overcrowded, thus being among the early candidates may be helpful.
2) Update your profile
94% of recruiters who use social media, choose LinkedIn over other online platforms, so it’s essential to build an interesting profile. How to do it? Start thinking about key skills recruiters always look for. Try not to sound redundant and choose “creative, driven, leadership, motivated, etc”, be more specific and find the right skills that will make you show up in searches. This is way more than just copying your CV.
3) Connect with others
Don’t forget to build up your connections, because you need to have at least 50 contacts if you want to be successful using LinkedIn for your job hunting. You can ask your family and friends or add new people to your network. In that case, send a personal message, otherwise making friends is going to be really hard.
4) Interact
Do you feel like no one’s viewing your profile at all? You’re not invisible, you just need to find the right way to be noticed on LinkedIn. The best option is to join groups. The more you interact, the more you will be visible. In fact, recruiters usually follow group discussions.
LinkedIn gives you the chance to talk about industry trend and to share your points of view. You can make a stand on subjects and facts that matter to you and show how to do it professionally. You can also post about your personal projects and achievement. Don’t start publishing things that are not relevant to the job universe, use other platforms for that!
These are our suggestions on how to use Linkedin to find a job. If you have other ideas, please feel free to comment. 😉
