16-Steps-Guide to Getting Hired Using Linkedin

By Maria Onzain

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16-Steps-Guide to Getting Hired Using Linkedin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Social recruiting has become a common practice among all industries! Social media networks are not only used to search for candidates or advertise positions, according to research conducted by Jobvite, “73% of recruiters have hired a candidate through social media”. Recruiters are using social as a powerful tool for recruiting. They are using digital networks to search for candidates and to get in touch with them but also to keep track of potential candidates, post jobs, generate referrals or investigate candidates before and after the interview. According to the same study, “55% of recruiters have reconsidered a candidate based on their social profile, with 61% of those reconsiderations being negative”.

Having a distinctive social media identity is indispensable to get a job. Among all social media networks, Linkedin is, as expected, the most used network by recruiters. The largest online business network has over 420 million users and according to research gathered by Open Colleges, three out of four users, use Linkedin for business purposes. 

 

If you follow these ten easy hints and tips, you will optimise your Linkedin presence to land that fancied job:


1. Polish your work experience references

Include all your professional experience and for each position use bullet points to explain what your responsibilities were (be specific and concise!) Make sure you connect each position with the company's Linkedin Page and if you had been promoted, don't forget to include different work entries for each role you performed in the same company.


2. Pictures matter

Your profile picture needs to be professional but it should also show that you fit in well with the company’s culture of the job you want. It is different applying for a job in a bank than a role in a media agency.

Use the background image as an opportunity to show your interest. You can use a free background from freelinkedinbackgrounds.com to help your profile stand out.


3. Contact Info Update

Always keep your contact info up-to-date and make sure all links to your websites are working properly using the "view profile as" button. If any of the links do not work, go back to "Profile", "Edit Profile" and change it to a correct link URL, then check it is now working. It can take some time to get it right but do it as many times as necessary, it is essential to have all links working on your profile.


4. Optimise your profile URL

Your Linkedin URL should be short and relevant. Ideally, you want to have your name and surname, written all together. If this is not possible, because it is already taken by another user, try using an abbreviation of your surname or first name.


5. Check your privacy settings

Make sure your privacy is set up correctly so your profile can be easily found through search. To check this, hover over your profile picture on the top right and click on "manage", "Privacy and Settings". Then go to the second tab called "Privacy" and edit your public profile to be visible.


6. Make it clear you are looking for a job

Use the summary section to tell recruiters and hiring managers that you are actively job hunting. Don't forget to specify the type of work you want and also use the last job entry to state that you are unemployed if that is the case.


7. Actively search for jobs

Use the search box at the top of the page and filter by "jobs". Be as accurate as possible and once you have the search results, make use of the filters to refine your exploration. Linkedin also offers an advanced search option that you can use.


8. Grow your network

Connect with people within your industry. It is important to take time to expand your network for two reasons: to meet people that may be interested in hiring you and also because recruiters and hiring managers will be more likely to get in touch with you if you have connections in common.


9. Connect with recruiters and hiring managers

Connect directly with recruiters and once they accept your invitation, let them know you are searching for a job. The wider your network, the better.


10. Recommend then ask for Recommendations

That is the right order. Old colleagues will be more likely to recommend you if you have recommended them before. So before you start asking, write some recommendations and then ask then to recommend you back.


11. Endorse people you have worked with

Like recommendations, endorsements work very well on Linkedin. You can add skills to your profile and your connection can endorse you for those skills. It will show potential recruiters what are you best at and how your connections appreciate your strengths.


12. Showcase your work

Use Linkedin as a portfolio to show you best work and include a link to your personal website (if you have one) or your complete portfolio on websites dedicate to it.


13. Share industry-related posts

A good way to be active on Linkedin is sharing industry-related news, articles and videos that your connection may also find interesting. You can share content from other websites or do it within Linkedin, sharing posts from your connections.


14. Publish on Linkedin Pulse

In addition to sharing relevant posts, you can write articles to show that you keep yourself up-to-dated and are knowledgeable about the industry. Publishing well research and insightful on Pulse is on of the best ways to show recruiters that you are a reference in your market.


15. Join industry-related groups

There are hundreds of groups on Linkedin, choose the ones that interest you the most, then you can engage with the other group members by asking short answer questions.


16. Complement it with your other social media profiles

After Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook are the most visited social media networks by recruiters so shouldn't neglect these social media profiles. They will work as a complement to your LinkedIn profiles where recruiters will be able to see different points of view of yourself. Use Twitter to follow personalities in your industry and to tweet and re-tweet relevant articles and online content.  And do not forget to keep professional your public information on Facebook.

 

About the company...

We won't just do social media strategies. Social Hire will work with you to ensure your business gets genuine value from us and that your team gets the most out of the service. Our experienced social media managers are motivated to make a enhancements to your social media marketing and reaching targets in a way that realistically makes a difference to your business goals.

Our digital marketing managers are the wizards that can give you the insight you need to grow your business. Have you had enough of making complex personnel choices that don't work well for your online marketing?

We're an organisation that helps our clients boost their social media presence by providing social media marketing on a monthly basis.

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