Few Tips for job search in LinkedIn

Going through a Global pandemic, no industries has remained untouched by it's impact. While many learned economists has been predicting impending doom, many still believes we are already amidst a recession. Many of my known family, friends & present & former colleagues have lost their jobs, while daily I see many posts & receives many messages from job seekers in my network. While I am no Career Councilor, or have no background in HR, I am here to share few tried & tested tips, which had helped me in landing my present job. Granted, I landed it in a pre-Covid era, which seems so distant & different from today, sharing it nevertheless, hoping it helps someone who is in need for a job.

1. Build your profile: First thing we need to have is our profile, please note our LinkedIn profile is not our resume, hence a direct copy paste won't work. You can check through profiles of those with same skill sets from your network & take pointers to update your profile, but please avoid a direct copy paste job. Also your profile picture, do add one, it completes your profile. Please note, the photo which fetched most likes in Instagram or Facebook, may not be suitable for LinkedIn. So please select one which showcases your self-confidence.
2. Build your Network: The reason we are here in LinkedIn is for networking, utilizing our network to help build our business or careers. So please connect & accept connections, especially from those who currently is in a role you aspire to attain, or a skill you aspire to achieve.
3. Interact & build rapport: Relationships, even business relationships, don't get built overnight. Please invest dedicated time is interacting with your network. It could be a simple comment on their posts, a word of encouragement, even a query on the subject that they have posted. Please don't miss out on responding, when you receive such comments on your posts too.
4. Feed the algorithm: LinkedIn algorithm highlights & features profiles in search results which are active & has certain amount of connections, we all have heard it, we all know it. So spend some quality time daily posting or liking & commenting on other post.
5. Approaching for job opening: Sadly, going through countless posts from many who are in senior roles in IT Industry, most are apprehensive to accept connection from a job seeker, they feel the immediate aftermath would be that person, sending a direct message asking for job opening. This does defeat the purpose of networking, but job seekers also must know that, not always everyone is aware about any open position they have. During my job search, what I followed, was first do some ground work, in searching for any open position, then seeing who from that particular organization I have in my network, if none, then send connection requests. When accepted, approach them with the open position & then request them to refer for that role. I agree, this still is not the one perfect method which opens all door, sadly there are none, however when we approach someone with an open position in their organization, it increases our chances for getting referred, rather then just blindly reaching out to someone asking for any opening.
6. Staying focused: Most important thing to do is to stay focused through it all. It is difficult when you have lost the job, for which you have invested so much time & energy, also our social anxieties associated with the stigma can get unbearable, but it is not impossible. Stay on track, take breaks, we have many good motivators & Career coaches in LinkedIn, follow their posts, look to improve your resume & profile regularly & network, there is a reason LinkedIn is always a top jobsite for most surveys conducted.

Last but not the least, remember, tough times don't last, tough people do, stay strong, don't loose sight of your health & wellness through it all, there will always be a better tomorrow.