LinkedIn has over 270 million active users. This is minuscule of course when compared to other social media networks like Facebook and Twitter. Yet the purpose of LinkedIn is undeniably different and therefore puts it in a different category from the rest. I call LinkedIn the Facebook for professionals. It is, therefore, a great platform for said professionals to network, share their skills and experiences, post for jobs etc.
Still, not many people get this. So if you are wondering how LinkedIn can boost your professional life, here are a few ways from personal experience.
Search for jobs
Most companies worth their salt have a LinkedIn page. Not only that, recruiters and hiring managers use the platform as a way to advertise new openings and upcoming positions. I have seen people share their hiring needs on their personal pages and request responses from interested parties. The first step you need to take would be to search for job postings on ABC corp’s LinkedIn Page. You can set up a job search alert with keywords that alert you to opportunities posted by ABC corp. You can also find individuals currently working there and follow a couple to see if they are posting open positions on their personal pages.
Reach out to Recruiters and Hiring Managers
Chances are you can find at least one recruiter from ABC Corp. on LinkedIn. They go by titles like Recruiting Manager, Head Hunter, Talent Acquisition, Talent Recruitment etc. By typing keywords like those in the people search tool, you can find these folks also known as gatekeepers. But that is just the first step, once you find them, you need to reach out. Here is a sample note to reach out to a recruiter for the first time:
Hi Adebanjo, My name is Bisi, a Brand Manager with XYZ agency. I recently came across a role at ABC corp and I was wondering if you could spare me a few minutes to chat over the phone about this role. Please let me know what times work for you next week and I will be happy to place a call through. Thank you so much for your time.
Update your profile with skills and experiences
Sometimes recruiters and headhunters are the ones who find you and not the other way round. Let’s say Mr. Adebanjo is looking for a brand manager in Lagos with agency experience and Bisi has all of these on her LinkedIn profile, chances are that she will come up in a simple search by him. However a bare profile stands less chance of standing out to recruiters. I personally get an average of 2 recruiters reaching out with a job opportunity monthly. 98% of these opportunities are in line with the experience and skill listed on my profile. So if you are looking to stand out to headhunters, get that profile updated quickly.
How do you use LinkedIn? What tips have worked for you in connecting to the right people and jobs on the platform?