Step by Step: How Exactly to Use LinkedIn to Help You Get an Interview

Job Seeker: “I don’t know what to do. I’m feeling stuck. I’ve been working on getting a job for months and nothing has happened.”

Me: “Well, what have you been doing exactly?”

Job Seeker: “I’ve applied to hundreds of jobs via LinkedIn, Indeed and the school’s job portal.”

Me: “Is that all you’ve been doing?”

Job Seeker: “Yes.”

In my post about common job search roadblocks, I wrote about the 80/20 rule; how 80% of jobs are acquired through a referral and 20% are acquired through only applying online. So why are so many job seekers continuing to bank on the 20%? Because it’s easier. Yes, that’s one reason. But is it actually easier to spend a ton of time applying online only to find yourself waiting for an email that may never come?

On average, companies receive 100 applicants per job (and close to 400 applicants per job at a company like Google.) Given those odds, it’s pretty likely that even if you’re qualified and have a stellar resume and cover letter, you probably won’t get called in for an interview. You need to not only be qualified and have your documents in tip-top shape, but to really increase your chances, you need to have spoken with someone at the company.

Before there was LinkedIn, the primary way to connect with people at companies of interest was to attend networking events of similar interests. While that is still helpful, LinkedIn allows you to have all the information you need at your fingertips. If you already have a LinkedIn account, begin my searching for a company of your interest and select “People who work at” to pull up a list of people who work at the company. 

Once you’ve identified someone you’d like to meet, send a personalized request to connect: 

1.     Introduce yourself

2.     Mention what you want to learn more about (their position, the company, etc.)

After you connect on LinkedIn, send a message:

3.     Thank them for connecting and ask for a 15 minute phone call or in-person coffee chat sometime in the next two weeks

During the meeting, take notes! Learn as much as you can about:

1.     How that person obtained his/her job at the company

2.     The most in-demand skills for the field

3.     What departments may be hiring in the near future

4.     Anything unique about the company such as employee resource groups or volunteer days

Finally, bring it all together and leverage these conversations by:

1.     Creating a tailored cover letter based on something you learned

2.     Following up with the contact after you’ve applied online by thanking him/her again for their time and letting them know you’ve applied to a certain position. 

At this point, if your interactions have been positive and you're a good fit, the contact is likely to forward your resume to the Hiring Manager or connect you directly.

P.S. I just received an email from a colleague about a student that accepted a Financial Analyst position at a prominent food tech company after meeting in-person with an alum that works there, then following up with the alum after seeing the job posting.  

Lindsey Plewa has coached thousands of students on how to successfully navigate a job search for over 10 years. She is currently the Associate Director of the Graduate Career Management Center at Baruch College. She holds an MA and two professional certificates, one in Adult Career Planning and one in Leadership Skills, from New York University.