3 LinkedIn Strategies for Job Seekers

Do you feel stuck in your current job? Is there no room for advancement at your current company? Are you ready to make a job change and not sure how? Here are three strategies you can use as a job seeker using LinkedIn to get you the results you want:

#1 The Compelling Profile Owner

While it may seem like it goes without saying, having a LinkedIn profile that boosts your credibility and creates intrigue is one of the sure-fire ways to get yourself hired in no-time-flat.

Here are 12 things you can do to make your profile more compelling:

• Use a professional headshot.
• Create a branded headline.
• Craft a compelling summary.
• Earn yourself endorsements and recommendations.
• Keep your profile updated - once a quarter is plenty.
• Update your status at least once a week.
• Add professional certifications you’ve earned.
• Add PowerPoints or Slideshare presentations you’ve created.
• Don’t put “Looking for opportunities” in your headline - this will scare employers away from you. Consider putting this information at the bottom of your summary instead.
• Consider using keywords for the positions that you’re looking at in your summary section as well. Use the headline of “skills” to list these!
• Make your profile easy to read and personal. This is not a formal document like your resume. Research shows that writing a story and using first-person is the way to go on LinkedIn.
• Get feedback on your LinkedIn profile from trusted colleagues, friends, or family.

For more specific tips on how to improve your LinkedIn profile, check out this article.

#2 The Subject Matter Expert

Are you a researcher-type? Do your colleagues consider you to be a subject matter expert? Do you like learning, teaching, or mentoring others? Using the subject matter expert strategy could be your shortcut to your next or bigger paycheck.

Here are 7 ways you build your credibility as an expert:

• Publish well-written articles on LinkedIn on a regular basis.
• Research what type of articles will resonate by using Google.
• Ensure that your posts solve a problem.
• Link to other articles written by experts - you’ll be found guilty of being an expert by association.
• Share your article on other social media websites.
• Place a link to your article in your email signature.
• Include short videos of you presenting one of the topics you specialize in.

For even more specific tips on how to become a subject matter expert, check out this article.

#3 The Savvy LinkedIn Networker

Today’s job-seeker must understand that the Trust Economy demands not only that one be knowledgeable, capable, and confident in a particular discipline or skill, but the job-seeker must connect well with others and send trust signals:

Here are 11 ways you can network like a pro using LinkedIn:

• Choose your target industry (IT, Finance, Healthcare, Education, etc.).
• Identify ideal companies/employers.
• Follow the company's LinkedIn page.
• Like and comment on articles published by the company.
• Share articles the company publishes that you find especially valuable.
• Add value to the company by providing urls to other related and relevant topics.
• Reach out to people at the organization who you already know.
• Ask those people to introduce you to people you don’t already know.
• Send InMails to new contacts.
• Learn about your hiring manager.
• Connect with local and national recruiters.

For even more specific tips on how to network like a genius in person, check out Take the Work Out of Networking. 

For more career management strategies,  sign up here for our monthly email.