Finding the right job using LinkedIn

Five years ago, we moved to a new city for my wife's role in the military. I knew basically no one and my job didn't transfer. That job search took months and I ended it by going to school. After school my next job search was shorter, but we were set to move not long after, to a different city where again, I didn't have a network.

But this time, I developed a strategy to create a network. You might find it useful.

Lean hard into #LinkedIn. You're already on here (nice work) but the type of activity matters. 

1.   Likes, comments, articles, shares - all these things make your profile show up more often and give a history for recruiters. Think about the story you’re looking to tell with this history. If you like a lot of whale videos, expect someone to think you love whales. If you write posts about your thoughts on project management, expect them to think you're a project manager.

2.   Turn on "actively looking" in your settings. Recruiters will see this, but basically no one else will. Even if you have a job, if your boss is sifting through LinkedIn to see if you're looking for a new one, that only confirms that it's time for a new job.

3.   Your LinkedIn profile should be a story that other people can connect to and want to join by meeting you. Don't put in technical words, job specifics, or industry jargon. Your goal is to create an emotional connection and that cannot happen if you use confusing words, even if they sound cool. LinkedIn is for connecting to people, resumes are for matching against job criteria. They should not be the same.

4.   Aim your story for where you want to go, not a listing of where you've been. If you want to get into strategy, don't list all the project management that you've done. Tell the story of how you've grown in your strategic responsibilities and where you intend to go. People want to join a rising star. 

5.   Buy a LinkedIn Sales Navigator license. Search for people you'd like to meet in your area. With SalesNav you can make a very specific list like “Managers in healthcare within 30 miles of Raleigh.” SalesNav gives you the best option for filtering people, sending InMail to 3rd connections and profile views. I buy it for a month or two then drop back down.

6.   Make an informative, but not “out there” tagline. If you want to go into Project Management, say “Project manager with 5 years of experience”. I used to say “Strategy Consultant with FDA experience”. It was true and people thought it was interesting.

7.   Look at all of the people in that list. Just view their profile, then move on to the next one. They will get a notification that “someone viewed their profile” and might look at yours. Think of this like waving at someone. If you wave, they might wave back. That's a small connection.

8.   If they do look at your profile, send an InMail that is honest, pointed and asks for advice, not help or a job. People always have advice to give. They can’t always help or give a job. I’ve used:

“Hi ----, I just move to the area and noticed your profile as I looked for future leaders at growing companies in -----. I’d love to buy you a coffee, chat for 15 minutes and get your advice on growing my career in --------. Would next Tuesday at 2pm at ----(coffee shop near where they work) work for your schedule? Thanks! –Nate”

9.   Offer a date at least a week out. Your urgency for a job is not the same as their urgency to meet you. Be cool with that. Also most schedules are free around 2 o’clock a week out.

10. Send a lot of messages and don’t expect a job right away. The goal is to have a good conversation and meet someone you’d like to meet. I’ve had tons of coffees with really interesting people this way. 98% I will never work with, but my life is better knowing them.

11. But, if they do offer to help be prepared to offer specific ways that person could help you. If there is a person they could introduce you to, know the name of that person. If you want extra eyes on your resume, ask for their feedback while you’re sitting there. Have a copy of your resume, but don’t have it out at the beginning.

12. Don’t feel ashamed that you’re not working. Everyone, literally EVERYONE who has a job knows what it feels like to not have one and be discourage while looking. If they have empathy and can help you find a role faster, let them. If someone is going think negatively about you because you don't have a job they are not someone you want to work with anyway. Jobs are important, but are not the source of your worth.

13. If you're a military spouse like me, do not worry that they will think “his wife is in the military I bet they’ll have to move soon”. Most companies can’t accurately plan 3 quarters out. If your potential move is 3 years away that thought will not cross their mind. 3 years is a long time. 1 year is a long time. If you’re excellent, communicating your story clearly and they have a need now, you can get a job now. The future is the future, worry about it then.

14. Stick with it. I did this every day for a few months, viewed hundreds of profiles and met or talked with 32 interesting people I had no other connection to. Two of them connected me to someone I’d later work with.

This process works. I hope it helps in your search for the right job for you! And, if you want to get coffee, I’m game. Just pick 2 o’clock at least a week out and tell me where we’re going :)

-Nate