Mastering LinkedIn: Land Your Dream Job in 2023!

LinkedIn is a powerful platform to find a job, but you need to use it effectively. Here are some tips on how to use LinkedIn to find a job in 2023:

Create engaging content to stand out from the crowd

One way to attract recruiters and employers is to share your insights, opinions, and expertise on topics related to your industry or profession. You can write articles, post videos, or comment on other people's posts. This will help you showcase your knowledge, skills, and personality, as well as build your personal brand and network.

Make sure your LinkedIn profile is public

If you want recruiters and employers to find you, you need to make your profile visible to everyone. You can do this by going to Settings & Privacy > Visibility > Edit your public profile > Make my public profile visible to everyone. This will allow anyone to see your profile, even if they are not logged in or connected to you.

Update your LinkedIn profile picture

Your profile picture is one of the first things people will notice about you, so make sure it is professional, clear, and friendly. Avoid selfies, group photos, or photos with distracting backgrounds. Dress appropriately for your industry, smile, and look at the camera.

Do not simply announce your job search to the world

While it may be tempting to broadcast your job search status to your entire network, this may not be the best strategy. Instead of posting something like "Looking for a new job", try to be more subtle and specific. For example, you can post something like "I'm interested in learning more about the latest trends in X industry" or "I'm looking for advice on how to improve my skills in Y area". This will show that you are proactive, curious, and open to new opportunities.

Know how to message hiring managers effectively

If you find a job that interests you on LinkedIn, you can try to reach out to the hiring manager directly. However, you need to be careful not to sound spammy or desperate. Instead of sending a generic message like "Hi, I'm interested in your job posting", try to personalize your message and show that you have done your research. For example, you can mention something specific about their company or role that caught your attention, highlight how your skills and experience match their requirements, and ask a relevant question or request a conversation.

Take full advantage of networking opportunities

LinkedIn is not just a place to find jobs, but also a place to build relationships. You can use LinkedIn to connect with people who work in your industry or field of interest, as well as alumni, former colleagues, mentors, or influencers. Once connected, interact with them regularly by liking, commenting, or sharing their posts, congratulating them on their achievements, or offering help or advice. You never know who might refer you to a job opportunity or introduce you to someone who can.

Follow up after connection invites are accepted

When someone accepts your connection request on LinkedIn, do not just leave it at that. Follow up with a thank-you message and start a conversation. You can ask them how they are doing, what they are working on, or what challenges they are facing. You can also share something valuable with them, such as an article, a resource, or an introduction. This will help you build rapport and trust with your new connection and potentially lead to more opportunities.

Ask for Recommendation

Recommendations on LinkedIn are a great way to showcase your professional achievements, skills, and personality to potential employers and recruiters. They can help you stand out from other candidates, build trust and credibility, and demonstrate your value and fit for the job.

Benefits of having recommendations on LinkedIn?

• They can boost your visibility and ranking on LinkedIn's search algorithm, which means more people will see your profile and be interested in contacting you.
• They can provide social proof and validation of your claims and qualifications, which means more people will trust you and be impressed by you.
• They can highlight your specific strengths and achievements, which means more people will understand what you can offer and how you can solve their problems.
• They can show your personality and character.
• They can increase your confidence and motivation and you will perform better in your interviews and negotiations. :)

To get the most out of your recommendations on LinkedIn, you should:

• Ask for recommendations from people who know you well and can vouch for your work, such as former managers, colleagues, clients, or mentors.
• Request recommendations that are relevant to your current or desired role, industry, or skills.
• Provide guidance and feedback to your recommenders on what aspects of your work you want them to highlight.
• Write thoughtful and personalized recommendations for others in return.

Optimize your LinkedIn profile URL

Your LinkedIn profile URL is the web address that leads to your profile page. By default, it contains a string of numbers and letters that are hard to remember and share. You can customize your URL by going to Settings & Privacy > Visibility > Edit your public profile > Edit URL > Type the last part of your new custom URL > Save. You can use your name or a combination of keywords that describe who you are and what you do. For example: https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/johnsmithmarketingmanager/. This will make your profile more professional and easier to find.

Use a professional cover picture

Your cover picture is the large image that appears behind your profile picture on your profile page. You can use it to showcase your personality, interests, or achievements. For example: https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/johnsmithmarketingmanager/. You can use a photo of yourself working on a project, a logo or slogan of your personal brand, or an image that represents your industry or field.

Add a LinkedIn profile video

A profile video is a short video that you can upload to your profile to introduce yourself, highlight your skills and experience, and show your personality. It is a great way to stand out from the crowd and make a lasting impression on recruiters and employers. You can record your video using your smartphone or webcam, or use a video editing tool to create a professional-looking video. Your video should be no longer than 30 seconds, and it should cover the following points: who you are, what you do, what you are looking for, and why you are the best person for the job. If you do not find this option (the feature was stopped/removed starting June June 26th, 2023), you can always add the video in the Featured section of your profile. To do this, go to your profile page on the app and tap on the “Edit” button. Then scroll down to the “Featured” section and tap on the “+” icon. You will see a list of your recent posts, articles, links, and media. Select the video that you want to feature and tap on the star icon. This will add the video to the featured section of your profile.

Write a keyword-focused headline

Your headline is the 120-character phrase that appears below your name on your profile page and in search results. It is one of the most important elements of your profile, as it tells people who you are and what you do in a glance. To write a catchy headline, you need to use keywords that are relevant to your industry, profession, or job title. You also need to highlight your value proposition, show your personality, and describe your experience. For example: Marketing Manager | 10+ Years of Experience | Driving Growth and Innovation

Switch on the Open to Work option

If you want to let recruiters and employers know that you are actively looking for a job, you can use the Open to Work feature on LinkedIn. This will add a green frame around your profile picture and a badge that says "Open to Work" on your profile page. You can also specify the type of job you are looking for, such as location, industry, role, and start date. To turn on this feature, go to Settings & Privacy > Visibility > Edit visibility of your open-to-work preferences > Choose who can see that you are open > Select All LinkedIn members > Save.

Utilize the Featured section to sell yourself

The Featured section is a place where you can showcase your work samples, projects, publications, or achievements on your profile page. It is a great way to demonstrate your skills and experience in action and provide evidence of your value. You can add links to external websites, articles, videos, or documents, or upload files directly from your computer. You can also reorder or remove items as you wish.

Write an intriguing About summary

The About summary is a section where you can write a personal introduction that summarizes who you are, what you do, and what you are looking for on LinkedIn. It is an opportunity to tell your story, highlight your strengths and skills, and display your professional brand. To write an engaging summary, you need to start with a hook that will grab attention and make readers want to learn more. It can be a brief summary of your experience, your passions, or something unique you bring to the industry. Then, you need to elaborate on your experience and achievements, using bullet points or paragraphs. You also need to include keywords that are relevant to your industry or profession. Finally, you need to end with a call to action that invites readers to contact you or check out your work.

Elaborate your Experience section wisely

The Experience section is where you list your current and previous positions, along with your responsibilities and accomplishments. It is one of the most important sections of your profile, as it shows recruiters and employers what you have done and what you can do for them. To write an effective Experience section, you can follow these tips:

• Use reverse chronological order: Start with your most recent or current position and work backwards in time. This will show recruiters and employers how you have progressed in your career and what skills and experience you have gained along the way.
• Include relevant positions: Only include positions that are relevant to your industry or profession or that demonstrate transferable skills. You do not need to list every job you have ever had if they do not add value to your profile.
• Use action verbs: Start each bullet point with an action verb that describes what you did in each position. For example: Managed, Led, Created, Implemented, etc. This will show recruiters and employers that you are proactive and results-oriented.
• Quantify your achievements: Whenever possible, use numbers or metrics to measure the impact of your actions. For example: Increased sales by 25%, Reduced costs by 15%, Improved customer satisfaction by 10%, etc. This will show recruiters and employers that you can deliver tangible outcomes.
• Highlight relevant skills: Use keywords that are relevant to your industry or profession to highlight the skills and expertise you used or gained in each position. For example: Marketing, SEO, Project Management, etc. This will help your profile rank higher in search results and match with job opportunities.

You can also start your job search on LinkedIn by exploring job opportunities using the Jobs tool. You can search for jobs by company name, job title, skill, or location, and filter them by date, experience level, industry, or function. You can also save jobs, apply for jobs, or set up job alerts to get notified of new opportunities.

When you are on Jobs page, do not forget to check Explore Opportunities. Free online tool that helps you discover new career paths based on your skills and experience.

Also, do check the tab on the top right of the Jobs page Prepare for Interviews. Get prepped for your next interview.

LinkedIn has added rolled out some new features. One of them is them is “I’m interested” feature that was rolled out in March of 2023. This is a new way for job seekers to privately express their interest in working for a company without having to apply for a specific role. You can find this feature on the company’s About or Life tabs. Once you signal that you are interested, recruiters at the company will be able to view your profile when searching for interested candidates

I hope this helps you with your job search on LinkedIn. Good luck!

References:

1. 8 Career Experts Share Their Tips For Using LinkedIn to Find a Job https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/8-career-experts-share-tips-using-linkedin-find-job-mike-podesto
2. How to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job: Get Hired & Noticed by Employers https://marketrealist.com/jobs/how-to-use-linkedin-to-get-a-job/
3. How to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job in 2023 - Ultimate Guide https://www.resumewriter.sg/blog/how-to-use-linkedin-to-find-a-job-your-ultimate-linkedin-guide/
4. 7 LinkedIn Job-Hunting Tactics That Work - businessnewsdaily.com https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/6107-tips-for-getting-hired-on-linkedin.html
5. How to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job: A Great Profile Is Not Enough - Jobscan https://www.jobscan.co/blog/how-to-use-linkedin-to-find-a-job-great-profile/

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