LinkedIn is an extremely powerful tool for your IT job search, but if you’re like many people, you don’t spend a lot of time using the features that can help you land a job. Here are the strategies you need to know to find your next job using LinkedIn.
LinkedIn Is Much More Than an Electronic Resume
Once upon a time, LinkedIn was a place where people stored their resumes online. Today, the platform is a robust and active network, and users must do much more than copy and paste their resumes into their profiles.
Make sure your profile is always 100 percent complete and it includes a professional, recent headshot. You can create a career narrative on LinkedIn and you have far more space to use language that isn’t just generic resume speak. You can even use enhanced features to create a portfolio, upload presentations and add video to create a complete picture showing who you are and where you have been as a professional.
You can also rearrange the order of your layout so you can showcase your most important and impressive skills. Every job seeker should take advantage of these features to create a unique and robust profile.
Make Yourself Searchable
The most impressive profile in the world won’t help you if hiring managers and recruiters can’t find you. Recruiters use very straightforward search terms to find candidates, so it’s crucial to mirror those terms to make yourself searchable.
Your headline should include important terms and phrases to help hiring managers find you, and you can add a little more detail in your summary. Think about the phrases someone might use to find someone in your field and fit them into the top section of your profile.
Another recent addition to the LinkedIn platform is the “Open Candidate” feature. By simply turning the feature to “On” and including brief information about the types of jobs you are interested in, recruiters can privately find you. Nothing gets publicly posted on your profile and LinkedIn hides the Open Candidate signal from recruiters at your current job or affiliated recruiters.
Get Active
LinkedIn is not a platform where you can set it and forget it. If you want to find a job, you’ve got to be active and proactive. Make sure to follow all of your target companies, reading and following the content they push. Following organizations also ensures you’ll stay up-to-date on job openings.
Spend time each week expanding your network. First, reach out to former colleagues you aren’t connected to. If a recruiter asks for a connection, accept it and start a conversation. Finally, put yourself out there by joining groups related to your specific field of IT, contributing to discussions and making new connections there.
Add a Recruiter to Your IT Job Search Toolbox
LinkedIn is a critical tool in your job search, and it is a low-pressure way to network, but it should not be the only tool you use to find a job. Another effective tool is a professional recruiter who can connect you to opportunities you may not ever find on LinkedIn.
If you are a tech pro seeking new and exciting opportunities in Western New York, contact the recruiters at Systems Personnel today. As a market leader in technology recruiting, we can connect you with employers working on innovative new projects where you can make a real contribution with your skills.
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Send us your resume today and one of our top recruiters will be in contact to help you find your next role.