15 Ways LinkedIn Can Supercharge Your Job Search Results

by Cheryl Simpson

You know that LinkedIn is a critically important job search tool, right? But do you know the specific ways LinkedIn can elevate your search results? Let’s take a look at 15 of them.

There are five major job search methodologies, or ways to bring your candidacy to the attention of prospective employers. By supplementing your action steps in each of these areas with specific LinkedIn tactics, you can upgrade the number of interviews and career opportunities you attract.

1. Networking

Hopefully you are already aware that networking is the #1 way to land a job at any career level. Whether you are a new college grad or a C-suite executive, networking – when done right – will open doors to new jobs faster than any other strategy. Supplement your networking with these specific actions on LinkedIn and you’ll see even better results.

• 1) Segment your networking: Odds are you have several hundred non-LinkedIn networking connections that you’re planning to contact in your search, but you have to segment those by hand unless you’re using a CRM (customer relationship management) tool. While LinkedIn isn’t a full-fledged CRM tool, it can help you to segment your first-/second-level and Group connections. From your Contacts tab, use recent conversations and filters to segment your list by communication thread, first or last name, company, tag, location, title, or connection level.

2. Targeted Outreach To Companies

Many job seekers don’t realize that targeting specific employers is a powerful way to gain entry to new career opportunities. By making the fatal mistake of assuming a job opportunity has to already exist, they miss out on the incredible benefit of accessing the Hidden Job Market – job openings that will soon be available but have not yet been publicly advertised. With LinkedIn’s business intelligence you gain take your targeted outreach to the next level.

• 3) Network with connections you already have in the company: I presume you already know that when you visit a company profile on LinkedIn you will be presented with a list of connections you have with the employer. If you filter that list, then leverage the intelligence you can garner from each connection’s profile, you will boost your networking requests of them to the next level.

4. Recruiters

The previous three job search methodologies are great choices for penetrating the Hidden Job Market where 85% of jobs can be found. There are times, though, when it’s appropriate to also apply for jobs that have been already published (the Visible Job Market, of course), including those assigned to an external recruiter. The problem is, though, that recruiters are overwhelmed with great candidates. So how do you get their attention?

      12) Seed evidence of your brand in Groups recruiters hang out in: Keep in mind that some recruiters are active or lurk in select industry LinkedIn Groups. If you “seed” your communications in those Groups with evidence of your brand, achievements, and industry insights, then you can potentially cultivate recruiter awareness of your candidacy.

See all 5 methodologies, all 15 ways, and the complete Careerealism article