If you are actively looking for a job or have been looking for one, you’ve probably already heard someone tell you to open a LinkedIn account. LinkedIn as a platform houses a lot of opportunities for job seekers in the market. This is because you can build connections and interact with your network of people. It also helps you to keep track of events like job fairs or talk to counselors who can help you find your dream job for you.
Here are some ways how LinkedIn can work for your professional success:
Business owners and job recruiters are on LinkedIn
Many employers or managers are already on LinkedIn, trying to find the perfect candidate for their open posts. They know that LinkedIn is the perfect place to scout talent since it is versatile and dynamic. Many job recruiters also trust LinkedIn profiles of candidates because it is personal, unique, and leave room for creativity. When vetting candidates, it is also a more straightforward process to go through the platform. Don’t miss out on this opportunity! Millions of recruiters on LinkedIn who actively search for candidates every day might be looking for you. But if you are not on LinkedIn, they have no chance to find you.
Having a LinkedIn profile makes you more credible
One can never be too careful about scams and frauds in this day and age. It is justifiable for recruiters to vet their candidates as thoroughly as possible. Your LinkedIn profile is valid proof that you are who you claim to be, and it increases your credibility and authenticity as a potential employee for that company.
On your LinkedIn profile, you can receive recommendations from your previous employers and colleagues as well, elevating your value further. When you send your resume to a company you can’t add extra pages with recommendations, but when they check your LinkedIn profile, they will see that your previous employers are raving fans of yours and your ex-colleagues are missing you from the office because it was so pleasant working with you.
You can build a job network on LinkedIn
This platform is full of intellectuals like you and looking for the best job opportunity. You can share, like, and comment on each other’s posts and share ideas and posts that you support or don’t support. The possibilities are endless. If a recruiter, superior at work, or colleague from work is on your network, they will be able to see your engagement activity and see what posts you have liked, shared, or published. This gives them a better idea of what you believe in or stand for.
Many job offers are not even published, because they will the positions in-house or through referrals. The more people you know on LinkedIn, the bigger chance you have that someone recommends you to fill a position. You could get the job even before it gets posted, because your future colleagues reach out to you, asking if you are interested in the position.
Just make sure that you keep your activities as appropriate as possible. Whatever you share online on the platform must align with what you are selling or what your brand stands for. If you have a lot of inconsistency in your engagements, it may send the wrong message to someone viewing your profile for the first time; perhaps a possible recruiter.
You can engage with a broader audience
When you “like” a post on LinkedIn, it not only tallies the number of likes but also plays with the platform’s algorithm. The more likes you get, the more likely your post or profile will show up on your network. Your online visibility is bound to increase when you gather a lot of likes and comments. If you think that you don’t have enough likes on your account, don’t worry. There are services like LinkedJetpack that can help you get more likes quickly.
As people see your industry-related posts and content on LinkedIn, with many likes and engagement, they have the impression that you are knowledgeable in your field. And that is exactly what your future employer is looking for, someone who is knowledgeable and a good communicator.
LinkedIn will update you on new job opportunities and openings
On LinkedIn, you can set up notification alerts so that you get notified every time a company or business posts a new opening. You can also choose to set up alerts for new posts similar to what you are looking for.
As you can see, there are many reasons to register on LinkedIn because it can support your career. But you should consider the drawbacks as well. There are not many, but keep in mind that just like any social media, if you don’t use it correctly with a clear purpose, LinkedIn can get quite addictive.
Stay focused on your goal and limit your LinkedIn usage to let’s say daily 15 minutes. In that time you should be able to review the job offers, connect with new people, post some engaging content and also engage with others’ content. Wasting time on LinkedIn without any goal or purpose is not helpful for your career, so handle this platform as a tool for your success as not as a playground to kill time.
