How LinkedIn Can Help With Your Job Search

There is no doubt that social media is transforming the way both companies and people communicate and engage with one another. Some channels, more than others, have had an impact on how candidates are sourced, particularly LinkedIn.

LinkedIn brands itself as the social network giant for professionals. Companies, hiring managers and recruiters are now flocking to LinkedIn to post jobs and source potential candidates. A recent survey from Jobvite found that 93% of recruiters are using LinkedIn to source candidates.

The difference between LinkedIn and other social networks is that the platform provides a central location to showcase your skills, display your accomplishments and network with other professionals. Follow our top tips, and find out how LinkedIn can help you network with peers, search for roles and grow your career faster than you thought!

Create a professional profile

Recruiters and potential employers want to find detailed facts about your professional life.

Your LinkedIn profile is essentially your online CV – share details about previous employment, your skill sets and educational background. The more complete your profile is the more credible it will be.

Create a professional headline

This is very important as it is how you will be found in searches. Choose a headline that shows precisely what you do to increase your chances of being found.

Expand your network

The greater your network the more credible your profile will appear. However, make sure your connections are relevant to what you do; there is no point in having a vast array of irrelevant connections. Connecting with people you have previously worked with before, people in similar industries and industry leaders are a great place to start.

Recommendations and endorsements

Building up recommendations from current or former colleagues and gaining endorsements from people who know your skills can be a great way of adding credibility to your LinkedIn profile and help you get noticed.

Join groups and engage

Joining and engaging in group conversations can help you connect with relevant influencers. Pick groups that interest you; conversations and debates will stem from these groups and it’s great to get involved and provide helpful insights. You can also use these groups to your advantage; if you’re looking for opinions on topics relevant to the group, then ask questions and let people engage with you.

As with all social media there are no set rules and as you get more familiar with the platform you will find out what works for you. Once you’ve found out how to get the most out of LinkedIn, be sure to let us know your secret and drop us a tweet at @Stream_recruit.