As well as using online job communities such as ID Talent, there are a number of ways in which candidates can maximise their job hunt online. We wrote about this here on the blog a couple of weeks ago – the post was entitled How Candidates Can Stand Out in The Online Job Market. Today we’d like to continue this theme by focusing solely one one of the methods we mentioned in the earlier post; LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is a social networking site set up with professionals and businesses in mind. It let’s individuals showcase their skills and experience in a simple and easy to use format. As well as creating a personal profile on the site – users can also opt to connect with other users, join groups, answer questions and find professional events.
Below we’ve put together a few tips for candidates on maximising your LinkedIn use;
Make sure your profile is up to date – We can’t stress enough just how important this point is. You wouldn’t send an out of date CV to a prospective employer – so why put it on the internet for all the world to see?! Remember that this CV may be the first contact a recruiter or potential employer has with you, so do make sure that you’re selling yourself, your skills and your experiences as well as possible. Don’t be afraid to show a little personality and personal interests – but do ensure that you keep it fairly professional.
Upload a photo – Most LinkedIn users won’t take your profile seriously unless it has a photo attached to it. This shows that your a serious user, helps people to get to know you and reminds those you’re inviting to connect who you are.
Search for your contacts and connect with them – Search for old colleagues and friends and ask them to connect with you. This can be a great way to remind people about what you have to offer, as well as to find out about job vacancies through word of mouth. You can search for people manually, use the LinkedIn ’suggested’ contacts or use the tool to search for your email contacts. Remember, though, to only connect with people that you know – as this is what LinkedIn is about.
Join professional groups – Search the groups directory to find LinkedIn groups that are relevant to your and your profession. Once you’ve found a couple, be active within them and make as many new contacts as possible. Jobs are often passed on on a word-of-mouth basis – and this can be an excellent way to increase your network in this respect.
Make sure your profile is up to date – Did we mention this already? Yes? Well that’s just how important this point is!
Are you already using LinkedIn to maximise your job hunt? We’d love to hear your tips and success stories. Pop them in the comments below or contact us via our Facebook page or Twitter.
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Graham Ruddick
