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Jonathan Greenhalgh job hunting, Candidates...

Job Hunting On Social Media - Part 2 - LinkedIn

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We have already spoken about how to get your profile in shape in our "5 steps to LinkedIn profile bliss" blog, but we want to talk more about how to actually use the platform.

LinkedIn is a fantastic place to start your job search. With over half a billion active users on the platform and around 10 million active job roles, it's awash with opportunities for the savvy job seeker. 

If you don't know where to start, have a read of these hints and tips that will get the ball rolling.

1. Turn On Job Alerts

LinkedIn has a feature that lets you search for a precise role, allowing you to filter down as far as individual companies and then set up alerts for that search. You will then be notified if a job that matches your criteria is posted.

2.complete the career interests section

Career interests are like the bat signal, except if you turn this on you don't get the Dark Knight sliding into your DMs, but you'll get a ton of Hiring Managers and Recruiters.

This is a separate area from your profile, which you should keep up to date too, that lets recruiters know that you are open to new opportunities. Don't worry, the feature hides this signal from your current company, so they won't know you are looking elsewhere.

3. Ask for a referral

Recruiters love referrals, over half of them say that they are the best source of quality candidates. LinkedIn has made getting a referral a little bit easier now by adding a button that lets you ask for one.

Don't go in full steam though and ask for a job straight away, maybe ask about the hiring process at the company and build from there. 

4. Send personal messages when reaching out

When you send a message to someone on LinkedIn, don't use the templates provided to you, always make it personal, this will help your message stand out and increase the response rate.

A short message will always trump a longer one, so keep is straight to the point of what you want. Tell the person why you want to connect and find a personal detail or metal connection that you can refer to.

5. Follow pages of companies that interest you

Make sure that you are following the companies that interest you on LinkedIn. This way, you will see their posts in your feed, and you can even opt to get job alerts if they post a role so you'll be able to see if they are hiring first.

6. Emphasise your skills not just your job title

The skills section on your profile is often overlooked… make sure that you're not falling into this trap. Job titles can vary, and you might not come up in search if you don't keep your skills section up to date.

7. Engage with your connections

To get the most out of the LinkedIn platform, just like all social networks, you have to do just that… network.

Don't be a lurker, get involved in the conversation and get your name out there. Log in every day even if it's just for a few minutes on your phone on the train or queuing in Starbucks. 

Even as little as commenting on an article or linking and sharing a post can make the difference.

If you are looking for a new job, be sure to check out our "How to find a job" section on our website by clicking here.