5 Tips for Jobseekers

1. Update your LinkedIn profile

1. Profile picture: Here's a resource that outlines how you can take a professional picture from the comfort of your home with just your phone. I highly recommend you smile in your profile picture!
2. Headline: Include relevant keywords in your headline. Please remember that LinkedIn is a search engine. If a recruiter is looking for a "Copywriter" they are going to put "Copywriter" in the search bar, they aren't going to put "Word Wizard" or "Word guru."
3. About: Make sure it tells your story in a professional manner by telling who you are, why you're passionate about what you do, and what your top skills are. Also, be sure you include your email.
4. Skills: Identify your top 10 to 20 skills and make sure that you list them on your LinkedIn profile. This is important as people can endorse them.
5. Recommendations: Call a handful of people that know you and trust you and ask them if they have LinkedIn. If they do, ask them to write you a recommendation. Even having a few recommendations on your profile can make a very big difference.

2. Grow Your Online Network

When it comes to growing your network, I recommend you do it two-fold:

1. Quantity - Where you connect with other people because that's what LinkedIn is all about. Leverage grow posts like this one to easily build your network. Remember, everyone you trust was once a stranger. You don't know who someone knows, who trusts them or who they may become. Never judge someone's value based on their salary, job title or level of education. Everyone person you connect with is valuable and could lead you to your next opportunity.
2. Quality - Where you only connect with recruiters and people with the specific job titles that you're looking to connect with. I suggest you personalize your connection request by sending a short message like this: "Hi (first name), I'd like to connect because we're both in (insert industry). Thank you."

LinkedIn is a search engine! If you want to connect with recruiters, put "Recruiter" in the search bar. If you're looking for a resume writer, put "Resume writer" in the search bar. If someone interests you, connect with them.

3. Follow Company Pages

Follow the companies that have opportunities you may be interested in and take it a step further by engaging with their content. When you engage, make sure your comment is thoughtful, instead of something generic like "Good post."

4. Invest, Learn, Engage

If you spend two hours a day scrolling Facebook and Instagram, I suggest you replace that time (or the majority of it) and scroll your LinkedIn feed instead. The more professionals you connect with and build relationships with, the faster you'll be able to recognize and seize your next opportunity. As you scroll, comment on posts you find interesting. LinkedIn is a great place for you to learn valuable life skills from content creators that consistently show up, people like Christopher Hummel, Courtney Harring, David Stanton and so many more.

5. Networking is a verb!

When you connect with someone, build that connection. You can do this by doing three things:

1. Engage with posts
2. Endorse their skills
3. Learn more about their goals

Networking is a verb! You have to put in the work and be consistent. When you message a connection to learn more about what they do, and what their goals are, be intentional and think about how you could provide value to them. Even if you have nothing, you know people. You can always provide value to someone by connecting them with someone that provides a service or product they may need or are looking for. Whatever you do, do not message people a book-sized template message directly asking them for a job.

Set a goal for how many messages you will send daily and also set a goal for how many introductory phone calls and Zoom chats you will have a week.

I will confidently tell you this, the more people you build genuine relationships with on this platform, the more opportunity you will attract.

The more you give, the more you will receive!