Jan WallenLinkedIn continues to evolve as it grows. Early on in its history, LinkedIn was thought to be primarily for job searches. It was excellent for that. LinkedIn then developed that area and added a Job Seeker premium program, and also premium Recruiter packages. They’ve also enhanced a number of features in the free basic program and added more in the premium programs. Now LinkedIn is also known for Social Selling and Business Development.
What’s changed for LinkedIn job search?
- 97% of companies and recruiters look on LinkedIn first. Be there with the compelling profile that represents you well, showcases your Expertise DNA, and is optimized job searches.
- 10% of executives respond to cold emails and cold calls. 84% respond when the person is introduced to them and adds value (InsideSales).
- You can now position yourself as an expert and thought leader and showcase your expertise in your LinkedIn profile.
These five little-known elements within LinkedIn can take days off your job search.
- Expanded Company and Showcase Pages. Look carefully here to when you research your target companies and prepare for interviews. Follow your target companies. Learn about the company and find out who you know already in that company (shared connections). They can introduce you to the right people, send your résumé to the right person, and give you background information about the company and what it’s like to work there. Showcase Pages showcase a company’s product lines or brands that a retail company carries. Do in-depth research about product lines and brands before your interview and in building relationships.
- Showcase your expertise as a Thought Leader. Put media such as Power Points, PDFs, and YouTube videos in your profile where they get immediate attention for job search. LinkedIn now offers the opportunity to post and publish articles in addition to Updates—short posts with a link. Publish regularly and consistently. You can also list publications where you’ve been featured and speaking engagements at national conferences. All these show that you’re an expert and a Thought Leader.
- Create a résumé in minutes from your LinkedIn profile. Go to: http://resume.linkedinlabs.com/, and use the self-guided résumé wizard and turn your profile into a beautiful résumé in minutes for job search. Pick a résumé template, customize the content, and print and share the result.
- Keep track of your connections, relationships, and activities as you conduct your job search. Write relationship notes and reminders for when to be back in touch with someone. They’re visible only to you.
Look at someone’s profile, right below their photo. Click on the Relationship tab, and write your notes and reminders. This is not by any means a CRM or contact manager. But it is helpful to see your notes when you look at someone’s profile. For example, before I telephone someone, I always look at their profile, and I see when our last conversation was, when we met, and any notes I wrote with the relationship notes. I keep much more detailed notes in my CRM. On LinkedIn, it’s a quick memory refresher.
- Search with filters. Search only your connections, your second level connections, and group members if you don’t want to search all of LinkedIn. You’ll see the choices at the top of the Advanced Search screen. If your search brings up thousands of results, and you want to narrow it down further, choose criteria from the left sidebar when you see the search results.
- Bonus: Free now but expected to change: Here’s an extra bonus and Golden Nugget of information. Right now, you can export your contacts. LinkedIn is considering changing this so that it’s a paid premium feature. Go to Connections, and Settings. Backup and export your contacts now, and back them up periodically. You can put them into Excel, and look at them in different ways, too.
These are new and little-known elements you can use with LinkedIn to take days off your job search. Remember that your profile is critical, even more than a résumé. When it’s written to clearly and concisely showcase your Expertise DNA, optimize for searches, and be compelling, you’re visible to the 97% of companies and recruiters who are looking at LinkedIn. And you can go from between successes to doing what you love to do and do well—leading companies and earning what you’re accustomed to.
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