Linkedin is a resource I use every day, so when people tell me they aren't on LinkedIn, or are on LinkedIn, but don't use it, I'm amazed! Many people are intimidated by LinkedIn, new technology, social media networking. Yet, a lot of the people not utilizing LinkedIn, are regular facebook users. If you are comfortable using facebook, you can definitely use LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is not used the same way facebook is. LinkedIn is similar to a job board where you can go and search through job openings. What makes LinkedIn better than job boards is that you can see who is posting jobs in a group, you know who you can reach out to and follow up with.
I use LinkedIn for recruiting. Just like I can use Monster or the Ladders and CareerBuilder to source for resumes, I can do the same on LinkedIn. I run searches by keywords, companies and industries and find high quality candidates. If recruiters are using LinkedIn to find candidates, then I highly recommend job seekers to learn how to use LinkedIn like the recruiters are.
Join the same groups recruiters and industry professionals are in so you can start connecting and networking. Search for specific companies you want to target and find people to network with that would be willing to assist you with researching the company.
There are so many ways LinkedIn can be utilized that it can be intimidating if you don't know how to use it. Which is why I started offering my services on teaching job seekers and entrepreneurs different ways to utilize the tool.
In a survey conducted by Jobvite, 78.3% of companies use LinkedIn for recruiting. Just because you have a profile on LinkedIn, doesn't mean that you will be found and called for jobs. Learn to use LinkedIn and don't be afraid to be active on it. The more presence you have on there, the better your chances are in making long term connections and building a network that works for you.
Interested in learning about my LinkedIn and other job search workshops? Visit Informing Job Seekers
Recommended Resources: Informing Job Seekers, Job Searching Strategies, See Who's Hiring, Job Search Support Group, Indeed, SimplyHired
Comments