The 5 most powerful things you can do on LinkedIn

Do you see LinkedIn primarily as a place to update your online resume, or perhaps to connect with some professional colleagues and acquaintances you’ve known from time to time because you think, There’s such a buzz on LinkedIn, and everyone I know is there, so I guess I should be too?

Or maybe you feel It’s too confusing and overwhelming! Where the hell do I start? — keeping you away from or limiting your use to the absolute minimum.

If you do, you’re not alone. In fact, many of LinkedIn’s 300 million or so users also view LinkedIn from the same perspective. So, is this “good” or “bad”?

Not intrinsically either. But if your intention is to proactively and strategically drive the career of your dreams, then this position is extremely limiting to your professional potential and career path as a whole .

WHY?

Because LinkedIn:

• Is the world’s largest professional network in existence, with over 300 million members and growing.
• Is the primary method of recruiting talent in global personnel recruitment today.
• Used by 94% of recruiters.
• Is the world’s most trusted central technology resource to connect you with your current business contacts, as well as an almost unlimited network of professionals.

I could go a step further, but you get the idea. In other words, today LinkedIn is the one piece of your multidimensional career strategy that absolutely can no longer be ignored.

And interestingly enough, while LinkedIn has grown organically into an unimaginably mammoth and far-reaching phenomenon known by name, it still remains a barely to modestly understood mystery by the majority of people who use it, most of whom have no idea how to unlock the portal’s vast potential for their career or how to use it to their advantage. And since you’re reading this, chances are you’re one of them.

AND THAT’S OKAY

You see, unless you were personally mentored by a LinkedIn “expert” or you’ve taken a formal course or training, it’s a resource you usually learn on your own as they go. And frankly, we’re all busy, so it’s not very realistic to take enough time in your busy schedule to sit down and really “master” this tech titan.

Having personally worked extensively with LinkedIn as a recruiter and headhunter (i.e. living and breathing 9+ hours a day, 5 days a week), I learned the inside and out, “from soup to nuts”, quite quickly and this didn’t help me. only as a recruiter, but also as a job seeker. So I understand where you are now, and how you feel as you try to decode and figure everything out.

Professionally, LinkedIn is a limitless gold mine of career potential for you. Yep, you heard me right: 1000%, untapped goldmine.

Why? Because, as mentioned above, recruiters and potential employers are looking for candidates like you . And almost all (94%) use LinkedIn to find you.

The list of potential opportunities, applications and benefits of LinkedIn as a powerful resource and ally of your career is (very) far and wide. There simply isn’t enough time (or space) to list them all here. So what follows is my special compilation of the five fastest and most powerful ways you can take advantage of LinkedIn starting today.

Get ready, in 5-4-3-2-1…

1. SEARCH FOR JOBS

Under the “Jobs” tab, you can search for jobs, save your searches, and set up job alerts (so LinkedIn can do the work for you). You can also search for jobs in LinkedIn groups, an additional secret source of job openings on LinkedIn.

An alternative way to get wind of information related to potential employment trends, shifts, or job openings in your industry before they happen — or before they’re formally announced in jobs or groups — is to contact universally recognized thought leaders, industry-specific movers and shakers, and companies directly. to follow. Just click the “Follow” button on their public profile page.

2. BE FOUND BY RECRUITERS AND EMPLOYERS

To be found by recruiters and employers, you must first be visible to them. In turn, ensuring the completeness of your name, profile, contact/security settings, and using the right keywords makes all the difference for potential employers to successfully notice you and, most importantly, reach you easily.

Profile: Set your public profile to be visible (I recommend “to everyone”). You can do this under ‘Settings’, ‘Edit your public profile’ and then ‘Profile content’. Why? If recruiters can’t find you, trust me, they will quickly move on to the next candidate they can find. Time is money to them.

Contact/Security Settings: “Contact Information” is where you can enter your website(s), Twitter address, email, phone and address. If you have a website, blog, Twitter account, Pinterest, etc., make sure to add them here. You want people to see the largest possible representation of you and your specialist knowledge/expertise.

Keywords: The right keywords can make or break the effectiveness, visibility and irresistibility of your profile to potential employers. Keywords are those words and phrases that are relevant to your role, your industry, and your desired role or industry. That’s why you should absolutely use them and spread them throughout your profile as a whole; the more relevant keywords in your profile, the more suitable employers will find you through LinkedIn search engines.

3. USE IT AS A RESEARCH TOOL

Interview Preparation: Once you’ve asked for your interview agenda in advance (hint!), use LinkedIn to look up your interviewers (and their current colleagues) to learn about them both personally and professionally.

What career paths have they all taken so far (are there any similarities or trends). What schools did they go to (do you have an alma mater in common)? What are their interests and hobbies? All of this gives you a better sense of your interviewers as people and allows you to more easily and confidently build a friendly, dynamic rapport and connection as soon as you walk in the door — and first impressions are everything.

As an added bonus, you can send connection requests to your interviewers after the interview to stay connected and build your network even if you don’t get the job.

Request a promotion: If you’ve been eyeing a better job or promotion, search LinkedIn for your desired job title to view the profiles of people currently holding that position. This will give you a good idea of what qualifications, skills and experience you will need to reach that level, either at your current company or at another company you are targeting.

4. EXPAND YOUR NETWORK AND CONNECTIONS

Look at your existing connected connections to find new people valuable to add to your network for your current or future career endeavours. Maybe one of them knows that recruiter who can help you get your foot in the door with a job application or interview, or they can make an introduction to someone else in your industry on your behalf (which adds instant credibility).

As mentioned above, remember to continue building your connections after each interview; send connection requests to your interviewers to stay in touch and grow your network. You never know: you might not get that job, but if you’ve made a positive impression on an interviewer and make the effort to keep in touch afterwards, you’ll be on their radar when it’s time to take on a similar position again. man.

5. BUILD YOUR CREDIBILITY AND PERSONAL BRAND

Join and Post in Groups: LinkedIn is full of groups for almost every profession and skill. LinkedIn groups (over 1.8 million and counting) are a great way to meet others in your industry/niche, get expert advice, keep up to date with industry news, and share your own knowledge and experience , build your professional credibility and image as an expert in your field.

You can search groups (use the search box in the top right corner of your screen) or browse the directory to find groups that are a good fit for your field, expertise and/or location. You can be a member of up to 50 groups at any time.

Receive Recommendations: Ask current and former colleagues to write a personal recommendation on behalf of their experience working with you – your unique skills and qualifications, skills, achievements, etc. – which in turn appear on your profile. This is a powerful and effective way to instantly build your credibility and reputation; Written recommendations in black and white are true indications of another professional “going to fight” for you and subvert the claims you make in your profile.

It is the combination of the quantity and quality of your activity in groups – coupled with the completeness and attractiveness of your profile, recommendations, connections and more – that together create the personal brand that you convey to the professional world at large.

Presto!

Source: careerattraction