How LinkedIn Influences Your Job Search
With millions of registered users and companies, LinkedIn has allowed desperate job-seekers and potential employers to identify raw talents in the current economic conditions as the world progresses after the unpredictable pandemic.
LinkedIn’s Statistics
Many people regard LinkedIn as just another social media platform where users join up to keep up with the latest trend. Users usually register, upload an out-of-date resume, and don’t sign in for weeks. They continue to apply for jobs using the same old methods. But this trend changed a bit recently, with nearly 45 million users actively searching for jobs every day.
Expand Your Network
Networking is essential for anyone looking forward to enhancing their career. Linkedin allows you to expand your network, connect with millions of professionals and keep track of events and businesses from the comfort of your home.
With groups, you can be a part of a greater network without the need to introduce yourself while filtering out your interests. An enhanced LinkedIn profile has become a part of a fully-fledged personality in any industry these given days, especially for maintaining your personal brand to seek a job.
Why Is It Important?
There are several reasons why hiring managers prefer to verify the candidates’ LinkedIn profiles with their resumes. Well, if you claim to be an expert in communications, your claim must be evident somewhere. A few of the factors that influence a job seeker’s chances of getting hired are mentioned below:
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A recruiter can verify the details mentioned in your resume with your Linkedin profile bio.
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Your endorsements, recommendations, and badges help recruiters analyze your potential for their organization.
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The mutual connections between the applicant and the hiring managers can add value to the job application.
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Recruiters get the best candidates list through the analytics tool of LinkedIn
The same applies for the candidates to find the best opportunities for their careers:
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Job-seekers can understand the company’s culture through a company’s LinkedIn profile
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They can communicate with the employees working at the same company and research companies’ work-culture and growth opportunities.
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Maintain professional network for future purposes
Attractive Linkedin profiles at as preliminary proof that the user possesses an understanding of current market trends and the need for marketing their skills, improving their chances of getting hired.
Optimizing Your Profile
Let’s get into how you can use your LinkedIn profile and make the most out of it.
1. Let your connections know you are open to opportunities.
Add the “Open To Work” filter to your profile picture. This allows recruiters to identify their prospects. Also, the LinkedIn algorithm can pop your profile in the recruiters’ screen for a higher probability of engagement if your profile matches the relevant keywords mentioned in the job descriptions.
LinkedIn does have options of making your job search private; there are no guarantees, though. So, if you are employed and looking for a job, you might want to reconsider this step and be strategic about it.
2. Follow People You Already Know
So many people use LinkedIn nowadays in your network of which you are not aware. You can add people like your former colleagues, classmates, neighbors, friends, professors, freelancers, people that you met in conferences or business events – you have a much greater network than you know.
3. Follow your interests
Like every other social media platform, LinkedIn has many giant companies from almost every industry, posting job vacancies and updating their current requirements. You have the opportunity to follow the companies of your interest and stay updated about their future needs. Stay updated about the next opportunities and apply whenever your desired position is available.
4. Connect with recruiters in your locality
If you are looking for a job in your hometown, connecting with recruiters within your locality is a great option. Right now, there are hundreds of companies hiring in your city of which you have no references. LinkedIn broadens your horizon of reaching out to a higher number of companies, increasing your chances of seeking the most relevant job for your career.
5. Join Industry-relevant groups
Focus on your industry, find relevant groups and join them to learn and stay connected with the current leaders of your industry. You can take part in numerous conversations and discussions that are open to the members of the groups. Although it’s not compulsory, engaging in groups provides visibility and more connections, leading to an enhanced network that might not know you personally but can assist in your professional career. I know this can get difficult, but going the extra mile will reap many benefits.
6. Find that “hidden job market” on LinkedIn
Most companies do not need to post job vacancies on public platforms sometimes. The recruiters have an efficient network that their connections provide them with the relevant references for the required positions. You must have greater but effective connections to stay updated about these opportunities, which might help you reach a new milestone. And if not, there is always some qualified individual looking for a job. You can refer and help them get hired.
How Does LinkedIn Help You?
As we have provided the information about how you can promote yourself and gain a competitive edge with other applicants, let us discuss how LinkedIn can help you get the most relevant job.
1. Accessibility
Sharing your posts, links, websites, work samples, or portfolios drive people to your profile. While resumes have comprehensive information about you, LinkedIn offers features that allow the recruiters to access your samples and profile with a click, which helps you stay ahead of the crowd. Sure, you can add those links in your resume, but that would create a mess of a perfectly formatted resume.
2. Agility
You can have a dynamic profile with daily or weekly posts on your LinkedIn feed about your area of expertise or join group discussions in your area of interest, curating your insights and creating a more engaging network for mutual benefits.
3. Digital Resume
LinkedIn features an option that allows your profile to be converted into your resume. Isn’t that convenient? There is no requirement of editing your resume every time you apply for a new job. You can apply through LinkedIn and share your updated profile that displays your ‘about’, ‘work experience’, ‘interests’, ‘your activity’, and most importantly, your ‘network of professionals’. I think these factors significantly affect in ameliorating your chances of getting hired.
With an optimized LinkedIn profile, you can find many job opportunities from which you can filter out the best-fitted job for your career. Have an attractive description mentioning your objectives while also highlighting your transferable skills. Also, ensure you have an updated profile with the necessary details so potential employers can scan through the highlights of your education and professional experiences and add those accords, accomplishments, and certificates that you received in your previous companies or during your studies to flaunt your skills and achievements.
Are You Active On LinkedIn?
Even if you are learning the ropes in digital marketing, investing in a compelling LinkedIn profile is a safe bet. It is free, available, and easy to use. Even if you are not looking for a job right now, you can have a setup of your account ready with minimal activity of commenting on your connections’ posts and keep an eye out for various opportunities in real-time. Lastly, improve your connections, optimize your profile, reach out to recruiters, and get yourself a job.
If you need assistance in your IT career, ITPathFinder is here to help you in securing the best position available. Whether you are a fresher or you are planning for a career change, ITPathfinder can set you up at the leading organizations in the IT industry. Reach out to learn more about our services.
