Everything You Need To Know About Utilizing LinkedIn Right Now
If we thought we were doing everything in a digital age before — COVID-19 has really taken that
to the next level. Pre-COVID may seem like a lifetime ago but think back with me for a moment. Even prior to January 2020, 9 out of 10 employers were using LinkedIn during their hiring process.
LinkedIn has 30 million+ employers with 20 million+ job opportunities. Millions of mentors and mentees have signed up to give and get career advice on the platform and 2.8 million recruiters use it to fill open jobs every day.
While many things may feel out of our control at the moment, there are still opportunities in our reach to make career moves. Meaning for us now, we can utilize this extra time online to attract new career opportunities. All it takes is optimizing your LinkedIn profile through having one to begin with, building your network, utilizing that network, and knowing how to successfully search and apply for jobs.
- So first things first, let’s go back to the basics: building your profile.
Your profile is not your resume.
There are big differences between your LinkedIn profile and your resume. For example, think of your profile as speaking to all potential employers, not just a single one. Each part of the profile should work together so that the platform is telling your story. Get into the details with skills, projects, interests, and certifications. Allow other professionals and employers to interact, learn, and contact you. Don’t forget to ask others for recommendations and endorsements as well!
Take a great photo!
Members with profile photos receive up to 21x more views and 9x more connection requests. Our tips: use a background that isn’t distracting, dress for the job you want, smile and have a friendly expression, and make sure your face takes up a majority of the frame.
Your story is in your words.
Round out every part of your profile to build a complete picture of yourself. This includes your Headline and Summary! Your headline is an opportunity to show what you are — not just what you do and your summary is the best place for you to communicate your professional brand and put your own spin on your experience.
Pro Tip: Make sure to include a summary of at least 40 words to show up in the search results of other members!
2. Next, you’ll want to build your professional network.
Build your network by discovering existing connections and searching for new ones.
You may groan at the first mention of “networking” but did you know that 50% of hires result from a personal connection? Networking occurs every time you meet new friends or acquaintances, volunteer in your community, or through any other social activity (yes, event a virtual event like Zoom webinars!) Networking is about just that — connection, relationship building, and truly putting a face to a name.
Research shows that your weak connections — those originally in your 2nd and 3rd degree networks — are often more valuable for your job search than strong existing connections, because their networks are more diverse than your own.
For example, my neighbor’s sister works at Amazon. I’ve only met her once, but if I want to work at Amazon, she may be someone who can help me navigate the company, and hone in on the right team or role for me. Each time you connect with someone new, their own extended network becomes more accessible to you!
On LinkedIn, you can customize your connection request to explain why you are interested in adding a 2nd or 3rd+ degree connection to your network, whether it is to learn about their career journey through an informational interview or to request a referral for a job you are interested in. Most LinkedIn members often or always respond to a request for a referral and more than 60% of the workforce has referred someone to work at their company.
While it can feel uncomfortable or nerve-racking to connect with someone new for this purpose, it really is a professional norm that just might lead to your next career opportunity.
Expand your network strategically.
This is the key! Reach out to people you have something in common with, who have a job or work at a company that interests you, or who may be able to connect you to someone who can help you achieve your goals.
When reaching out, make it easy for the recipient. Short, sweet, to the point. Say, who you are, why you’re interested in connecting, and what your ask is (aka how they can help you).
3. Now that you have your network built, use it to connect to opportunities.
LinkedIn members are 9x more likely to get hired when referred. So after you build a network, don’t just let it sit there. Engage with it!
Message connections. Ask for informational interviews. Request referrals. Request recommendations. Add value and engage.
Make sure when you reach out that you do so to a relevant person, not just anyone at the company. Practice your due diligence, do some research, and go into your conversations with a clear vision of what you want to gain from connecting with this person.
Other ways you can engage with your network is by investing time in your connections, liking and sharing things that people in your network care about, joining groups, and giving testimonials or recommendations to others (maybe they’ll even return the favor!)
4. Finally, there are specific actions to take when searching and applying for jobs on LinkedIn to optimize your results.
Here are some things to keep in mind: set career interests, search for jobs actively (applicants who apply to jobs within the first three days of posting are 13% more likely to get the job), create search alerts, review “Jobs You May Be Interested In”, and follow companies you’re interested in.
Pro Tip: Turn on the Open Candidates setting to let employers know you are actively searching and available for a new job. Plus, recruiters on LinkedIn can filter specifically for candidates who have engaged with their company page. Make sure to show your interest by taking this easy step.
By following these four steps and continuing to engage within this social network, your optimization of LinkedIn may just lead to your next career move. You can also watch the full webinar recording here at this link.
This post is adapted from our webinar with Maya (Babla) Appiah. Maya is a LinkedIn Alumna. She leads Microsoft’s inclusive hiring team within the global talent acquisition organization and serves on the city of Seattle’s immigrant and refugee commission.
