HOW TO USE LINKEDIN TO LAND YOUR DREAM JOB

LinkedIn makes it easy to build your professional network and research future employers. When it comes to looking for a job, you need to research a lot of different resources like networking job boards and social media. As a result, we’ve often had questions from people asking about what to expect when it comes to looking for a job during this pandemic. We’ve also received questions that revolved around what to do to maximize and optimize a person’s job hunt efforts. Therefore, we decided to give you insight into that and give you some real perspective on how to maximize your chances of getting a job.

So, what should you expect during this pandemic?

During a pandemic, it is reasonable to expect a high rate of layoffs. While some industries might be affected as a result of the epidemic, others might see a boom in their industry. Due to this, unaffected sectors have a higher tendency to employ more people. Now, a quick LinkedIn search shows that there are currently more than five hundred thousand vacancies.

For example, companies like Amazon is looking to hire 175,000 new workers while other companies like Instacart need 300,000 workers, Albertsons needs 50,000 workers, Ace hardware intends to hire 30,000 new workers, Fidelity investments plans to hire 2,000 people and so on.

This increase in the need to hire more employees shows that if you have the right career strategy, then you can get your dream job in less than 60 days. This is especially possible if you are in an industry that isn’t affected by the pandemic. Nonetheless, even if you are in an industry that is affected, there’s still a huge possibility to land your dream job, especially if you know how to maximize your job hunt efforts.

How do you maximize your job search efforts?

Now, you need to understand that if you are looking to land your dream job quickly, then, applying to job boards might just be a waste of time. Did you know that the average job postings receive over 250 applications?

Therefore, due to the high number of applications, utilizing other means such as LinkedIn is crucial to help increase your chances of landing your dream job. This, however, leads us to the question of how you even use LinkedIn to land your dream job. Below, we’ve outlined three necessary steps that are essential in helping you ensure that you can use LinkedIn to your advantage.

1. Determine What You Want:

When you decide to get a new job, the first step is to reflect on what you want. There is a unique gift that you have been given, and that is the gift of introspection. This is the time for you to reflect on your life and your career up until this point. 

You should ask yourself specific questions like; When this is all over, what direction do you want to be? What is your ideal career? In fact, this is an opportunity for you to be able to move in a more positive direction. This is nonetheless crucial in ensuring that you are mentally ready and confident to get the job that you desire.

2. Join the LinkedIn Network:

After deciding precisely what you want, the next step is to join the LinkedIn platform. So, if you have never signed up for LinkedIn, then this is the chance for you to join the platform. However, if you have a LinkedIn profile and you’ve perhaps, neglected it, then this is also your chance to revive your profile and get ready to reach out to potential employers.

After you’ve created your LinkedIn profile, the next step is to optimize your profile to attract potential recruiters or employers. Optimizing your LinkedIn profile is essential in helping you stand out; therefore, making it easier for a hiring manager to spot you as a talent or a potential candidate for a job.

Nonetheless, to optimize your LinkedIn profile, there are various factors you must consider, and this includes optimizing your profile banner, tagline, bio section, features, experience, skills, and endorsements. It is essential to know that if you are not experienced at optimizing your LinkedIn profile, then, we recommend hiring an expert to help you optimize your profile for better visibility and reach. For example, at Global Career Advisors, we offer affordable LinkedIn optimization for professionals looking to make their profiles highly visible to potential employers. So, if you’re interested in this, please reach out to us at arthur@globalcareeradvisors.com.

3. Network and Explore the Available Options:

Once you’ve optimized your LinkedIn profile, the next step is to increase your network by connecting with potential employers in your chosen career niche. When you connect with prospective employers, feel free to interact with them, and let them know that you’re open to certain job opportunities.

B. You can also consider clicking on the job tab on the main menu located at the top of the page. Input the necessary keywords and the location of jobs you would like to view. Once the search result appears, carefully take your time to scroll through the jobs shown. Furthermore, at the bottom of the page, you will see a bunch of profiles of companies where your contacts work.

Assuming you found a job that you’re interested in, you can open the company’s profile page to see if it reflects what you’re looking for in your desired jobs. If the job posting is the right fit for you, then you can quickly check to see if any of your connections have or are currently working in that company. This could be useful because some companies, especially the big ones, often have referral programs that encourage their employees to recommend qualified friends to apply for job listings. Therefore, if you can get your contact to refer you, then you get a higher chance of landing your first round of interviews.

C. Another approach involves sending connection requests to recruiters who work at the company of your choice. When you connect with them, you can interact with them and later, inform them of your decision to apply for their company’s job listing. You could take this approach a step further by subtly stating why you’re the perfect fit for the role, what the company stands to gain if you’re chosen, and some accomplishments that are relative or complementary to your chosen role. You could also decide to invite them out for coffee to learn more about the role. Nonetheless, if you can build a genuine connection with the recruiter, then you stand a higher chance of getting called for an interview.

Most importantly, it is essential to know that while using LinkedIn to connect and reach out to potential employers, you must refrain from any form of spam. This is why it is crucial to ensure that you have a standard career strategy that guides your process of landing your dream job. However, if you are not experienced at creating an effective career or LinkedIn strategies, then, feel free to reach out to us at arthur@globalcareeradvisors.com