How are you using LinkedIn?

Everything you should know from a job searching perspective

I recently spoke to a COO who had been job searching for over 14 months and hadn't received much uptake from interested parties, which he wasn't anticipating. When asked why he said:-

"If they don't see my value when they look at my profile - it's their loss."

The thought had never crossed his mind that others hadn't looked at him in an interested manner, and he was thinking of himself and his perception, not the perception of others.

Many believe their responsibility on social media platforms such as this one is to;

• Write their profile
• Click & connect as often as possible to build volume
• Occasionally post or write an article
• Apply for jobs
• Comment on posts when feeling a little more brave
• & wait...

It's not to say any of these assumptions are incorrect, because foundations are important in all areas. But, what I see so often is many assuming this is all they should be doing to create the baseline for their success. When in fact, that thinking is the most common critical de-railer in any executive job search.

Critical Thinking

Waiting is one of the biggest killers, and I've said this before.

& when it comes to the waiting game, there appears to be a lack of critical thinking.

Meaning there appears to be no correlation of independent thinking when individuals use LinkedIn for what they see as being important, to what others need/want to see and experience to develop appeal and synergy.

As I stated in other posts your LinkedIn profile is more than just a bio, postings, 'click and connect', applying for roles, asking for help, and waiting... it's an experience, and a summary of your professional brand.

These attitudes and assumptions resulting in LinkedIn being used ineffectively, sit in the underbelly of the blame culture aimed at the recruitment industry and networks in general. Two of the three key routes to opportunities we all have.

LinkedIn, born from technological advancement, has moved on from a platform for professionals to be part of a larger community to almost in simple terms, a global shopping centre.

For companies, it’s a global?database of talent with over 930 million users. For those looking for their next opportunity it’s one of the top ‘shopping centres’ you have access to, for your brand and reputation - your shop window.

Unfortunately, as the COO I mentioned previously and thousands of other professional’s exhibit, very few recognise this. Or if they do, they don’t know what to do about it. Hence, the path of the buyer and your ‘goods’ very rarely cross.

Accepting that and adapting to 'recognising' you're not on LinkedIn for yourself but to attract the interest and attention of others, can change the ‘footfall’ coming to your shop door.

LinkedIn Tips

I've thrown a few things at you so far, but let's kick this section off with a few tips on transitioning from thinking of yourself to thinking of others who need to know about you.

First of all, don’t make it difficult for them to find you, all our social media platforms have become one of the worlds biggest search engines. Your prime aim is to be searchable, to be found. Think about the perception of you, and align your language, the 'value of you' with the realities of the inner circles you're trying to attract.

Second, what is your position in relation to your competition. Use the search filters and find out. If you're not in the first 20 ask yourself why?

Third, think about resonating when connecting. Many opportunities are not realised because the resonance and relevance isn't apparent. It's generally all about you, your 'ask' and less about them - not an appealing start and not one positioned for reciprocity.

Fourth, if LinkedIn isn’t working smartly for you – consider does LinkedIn know what you’re looking for? Are you consistent with what you say you are? Or, do you try to be everything all at once? Presenting as available across lots of job/role options is confusing & confusing is unappealing.

Fifth, LinkedIn is not set up as a platform for CV’s. It presents data very differently to what we are used to historically. It’s set up for impact and action, yours in relation to others. Your profile and consistency of impact through connectivity sits far and above the influence of a CV.

Your mastery of this route to market is vital. Its technology all the way. Gone are the days of CV’s, adverts in newspapers, relevant industry publications, and you being ‘one of few’ for recruiters, stakeholders, and your network, to recognise as valid.

• LinkedIn helps you stand out to your buyers by allowing you to ‘show and tell’. The ‘show’ is your positioning in relation to your competitors, not your version of war and peace in a bio. The 'tell' is your responsibility, and yours only. In essence, it's how intelligently you use this platform.
• Own your sense of impact for what you’re appropriate for. LinkedIn provides you with the search tools and filters to find the groups, the establishments & the professional bodies relevant to your buyers. It also allows you to research the businesses you’re interested in to identify the inner circles you need to be known to, and get in conversation with. It provides the job seeker with a vast array of prospective new customers, new partners and new suppliers.
• Contrary to belief, there is NO search criteria on LinkedIn for the green ‘open to work’ banner on a profile. So, LinkedIn does not support this in the way that you may perceive it does. From my experience it’s regarded by executive ‘inner circles’ as unappealing, commonly detracting rather than attracting.
• Recruiters use LinkedIn and its many layers of search criteria to attract their customers first and foremost. You second. They have no commercial obligation to you. If you're not easily found, then simply someone else who is in the top 20 through the search filters recruiters/head-hunters commonly use, will be.

Technology has brought to the attention of inner circles and industries, millions of candidates from a global, transient, working, community.

Be aware and prepared. Wear your professional acumen as you would in work. Think of your impact, your action, your resilience and acceptance that you are accountable for the results you get in an ever evolving job market landscape.

In Summary

In life we're always told to remain selfish but kind. On this online platform it's much kinder to self, if you think of how to make it easier for relevant individuals to see you, then become intrigued to hear you, to then position YOU at the forefront of their minds. The shop window is yours, you selfishly need to attract new business to your door, rather than allowing that footfall to pass you by.