20 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Get a Better Job

1. Research career paths Look at the career progression of people who currently have the

kind of job you’d like to have in 5-10 years

2. See who employs people like you Search for people with the same job titles and in same

region/industry to see who is employing people like you Explore “viewers of this profile also viewed” Check for shared connections, education, interests, etc.

3. Learn by joining professional groups Look at discussions, profiles of members and jobs posted Establish reputation via valuable discussion/news contributions Contact people who may be able to help you with your next step In large groups, follow the interesting people

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20 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Get a Better Job

4. See which of your friends know people who are hiring Most people end up getting their job through a connection Give yourself some latitude in the job titles you are looking for and

focus on what is available in your second degree Be sure to offer something of value when sending request

5. Be connected to your work network Check to see which contacts are on LinkedIn Check for classmates & former work colleagues People You May Know Friends of friends

6. Stay top of mind among your LinkedIn connections Update your status, share news/resource/quote, update your profile Give/get a recommendations, ask/answer a question Join groups, participate in discussions, create/comment on a poll

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20 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Get a Better Job

7. Fortify your profile with applications Add presentations you have given, PDFs of your work, videos,

books you are reading, etc.; Allow people to see your latest tweets or blog posts Share trips you are taking, events you are attending or speaking at

8. Show your expertise Answer some questions to highlight your expertise If the person asking the question selects your answer as best, you

get a module on your profile showcasing your areas of expertise

9. Be found by recruiters and hiring managers Use the resume importer Be sure your profile includes keywords recruiters or hiring

managers are likely to search for

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20 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Get a Better Job

10. Use recommendations so people pick you from the results Request recommendations from people you have worked with Or just give them a recommendation, and they may return the favor

11. Put your best foot forward in search engines Your LinkedIn profile will often be the first results Put your who name into the vanity URL of your public profile Add more info to your public profile

12. See at which companies the friends of your friends work Companies may not have a job listed on LinkedIn or on their site But if you approach someone through a common connection, they

may just talk with you and end up creating a job Remember the more of your work contacts you are connected to,

the more jobs and companies will be just an introduction away

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20 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Get a Better Job

13. Broaden your search by finding related companies Explore similar companies via tags Review from where companies hire and for what companies

employees leave

14. Consider an upgrade Make it easy for anyone to contact you See more people who visited your profile See more information about people outside of your network Organize people to contact into folders

15. Find inside connections on Simply Hired Like on LinkedIn, but for jobs not listed on LinkedIn

16. Visit the profiles of recruiters and hiring managers Be sure to turn on your name and headline in the visibility setting, so

they can see your profile and contact you if interested

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20 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Get a Better Job

17. Find inside connections on HotJobs, Monster, Craigslist, etc. Brings the power of your network to jobs listed on job boards

18. Check who viewed your profile Even if not always see exact person, easy to match up with places

where you applied See if your profile is coming up for the right kinds of people

searching on LinkedIn

19. Prepare for the interview Start with company profile and Company Buzz Browsing profiles of potential interviewers Don’t forget to look up and contact who used to have this job and no

longer works at the company

20. Research your future boss Talk to people who have worked for you future boss If are premium member, use reference search

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