20 Tip for Finding a Job on LinkedIn for the Unemployed
As is revealed in discussions on the same over at runrex.com, approximately 90% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find talent, which means that it is a platform you can’t afford to ignore when looking for a job if you are unemployed. Given that it is the world’s largest professional networking platform, job seekers face increasing competition on the site to catch the eye of recruiters and hiring managers, and if you are one of them, then this article should be a great resource as it will look to highlight 20 tips for finding a job on LinkedIn for the unemployed.
- Search and apply for the right jobs
One of the most important tips for finding a job on LinkedIn is making sure you are searching and applying for the right jobs, which, as discussed over at guttulus.com, you can only achieve by narrowing down your results through filters and advanced search.
- Leverage the #OpenToWork feature
If you want to find a job on LinkedIn, then you will need to let recruiters on the platform know that you are open to work, which you can do with the #OpenToWork feature as explained over at runrex.com. This will allow you to add titles and locations you are interested in, helping recruiters understand what you are looking for increasing the chances of you landing a job.
- Set up alerts
As is the case for most job search platforms, LinkedIn allows you to set up alerts to ensure that you are notified whenever a job opening matching your set criteria is posted as covered over at guttulus.com. If you are to find a job on LinkedIn, make sure you set up alerts so that you get an email notification whenever a job opening matching your criteria is posted so that you don’t miss any opportunities. This feature will also allow you to save jobs while browsing on LinkedIn as well as track your saved and applied jobs.
- Take advantage of the Skill Assessment feature
LinkedIn also offers the Skill Assessment feature which allows users to take a short 15-20-minute assessment to validate their skills, and once they pass their assessment, they can choose to add a badge to the Skills section of your profile to showcase your proficiency. This will help you showcase your skills to recruiters helping you land a job.
- Upload a great headshot
Your LinkedIn headshot is one of the very first things that people will see when they check out your profile on LinkedIn, which means that if you want to land a job on the platform then you need to use a great headshot; one that gives off the right impression. The photo you choose should be clear, professional, friendly-looking.
- Get your headline right
Everyone sees your headline, whether you are directly applying for a job or you show up on search results, which is why you need a great LinkedIn headline. According to the experts over at runrex.com, make sure your LinkedIn helps you stand out and make a good impression with recruiters by making it about your skills and how you can help employers.
- Use all the skill slots
As is revealed in discussions over at guttulus.com, LinkedIn allows users 50 skill slots. An important tip to help you find a job on the platform is to make sure that you are using all these 50 slots. This is because skills count as keywords in your profile and using all 50 will help you appear in more searches, boosting your chances of getting a job.
- Complete your profile
One of the most important tips for using LinkedIn if you are going to find a job is making sure that your profile is complete and up-to-date according to the experts over at runrex.com. A complete profile makes you appear serious and professional and recruiters will take you seriously increasing the chances of them viewing your profile, leading to more job offers.
- Write your previous work in an easy-to-understand format
Part of completing your profile is making sure you add previous work experience. When doing so, a useful tip is to make sure that you do so in bullet format and one that is easy to read. Avoid big blocks of text and long paragraphs here as recruiters tend to skim over such text, which will damage the chances of getting a job on the platform.
- Show results with your previous work
Still on previous work, when writing your bullets as mentioned in the point above, make sure that you are focused on detailed results and accomplishments. This means putting metrics, data, and numbers whenever possible. For example, instead of saying “responsible for managing customer questions and requests”, you should say “successfully handled more than 100 customer requests per week with 99% customer satisfaction rating”. This will show employers the kind of results you can get them increasing the chances of them wanting to interview you.
- Get recommendations and endorsements
Recommendations and endorsements are also important if you are to make your LinkedIn profile stand out from the competition and finally land a job as is explained over at guttulus.com. Therefore, another important tip is to get at least one recommendation and endorsement as this will bring credibility to your skills.
- Showcase volunteer and community work
While not every employer is going to care about volunteer work and community involvement, most will which is why it doesn’t hurt to showcase the same. As covered over at runrex.com, LinkedIn has a profile section just for this called “Volunteer Experience” which you should leverage as it may be the one thing that separates you from your competition.
- Networking is key
If done right, networking will help you find a job on LinkedIn fast according to the gurus over at guttulus.com. This is why you should build your professional network and start networking on LinkedIn which includes reconnecting with past colleagues and classmates, building new connections, and participating in LinkedIn groups, and so forth.
- Don’t attach a resume or cover letter in the first message
When you are reaching out to anyone for networking purposes on LinkedIn, you mustn’t attach a resume or cover letter in the first message as this is a big turn off. It makes you appear pushy and is very assumptive on your part, and will damage the prospects of making a connection that may have led to an opportunity. Just start a regular conversation and see how things go from there.
- Leverage the Easy Apply feature
LinkedIn offers users the Easy Apply feature which allows them to apply directly for jobs on the platform. If you find a job that offers “Easy Apply”, you should take advantage of it as it will save you lots of time and you also won’t need a cover letter to do so as well.
- Update and upload your resume
As is discussed over at runrex.com, LinkedIn also allows users to save up to 5 resumes which you can instantly use to apply for jobs. This includes one which is your default resume that you can use when applying to jobs using Easy Apply and 4 other tailored resumes for different job descriptions. Uploading your resume on LinkedIn is another tip that will help you find a job on the platform.
- Follow companies
This is not as stalkerish as it sounds as it will not only help you learn more about a particular company you are interested in and its culture but also help you stay abreast of any job openings that may come along, giving you the chance to put yourself at the top of the queue by applying as soon as the job opportunity is posted as covered over at guttulus.com.
- Stay active
To get the best out of LinkedIn and to find the job you are looking for, you must remain active on the platform according to the experts over at runrex.com. This includes posting helpful content regularly, comment on and like the contributions of those in your network, trigger dialogue with your posts, and so forth. The more active you are, the more recruiters will see you, increasing the chances of you finding a job.
- Consider LinkedIn premium
While LinkedIn Premium can cost between $30 to $120 a month, it is worth the cost according to many users. This is because it gives you access to people you are not connected to while also allowing you to access more company data and real-time insights as well as features such as InMail messages, and so much more.
- Set up a vanity URL
Finally, LinkedIn allows you to customize your profile URL for professional sharing on resumes or other job material and it is an offer you should take up. This will make your LinkedIn URL appear more professional making it easier to share while also being strategic from an SEO point of view, and will help you find a job on the platform.
The above discussion only just begins to scratch the surface as far as this topic is concerned, and you can uncover more details by checking out the excellent runrex.com and guttulus.com.