Job Hunting Tips using LinkedIn

Fall Career Workshop Series

Did you know?

● LinkedIn has over 6.5 million job postings

● 94% of recruiters use LinkedIn to source and vet candidates

● LinkedIn is the #1 tool for finding a job!

● 450 million members in 200 countries

#1 Reason to build a stellar LinkedIn profile

● Prospective employers are likely to Google you and your LinkedIn profile is likely to be at top of the list

● Leap ahead of the competition with a compelling headline, a summary that tells your story, and professional headshot

Optimize your LinkedIn profile

● Include relevant keywords● Emphasize your professional skills (and get

endorsed for them!)● Fill out your Summary as it is searchable● Highlight industry related coursework● Feature your professional memberships● Include your languages

Be sure to have a profile photograph

● Smile!● Look approachable (not serious!)● Neutral background● Color photo● Be sure it is centered

Make your Headline Count

● The keywords that you include in your headline are searchable by recruiters

● Put your top 5-6 skills here to show up higher in results

Follow Your Dream Companies and Top Leaders

● Make a bucket list of dream companies to work for

● Learn about new job opportunities● Learn about the culture of the

company or organization

Leverage the perks of LinkedIn Groups● If you aren’t a member of the same group

as another user, you can message them● Group members are able to view the

profiles of other members of the same group without being connected

● Find jobs that aren't listed elsewhere

Leverage the perks of LinkedIn Groups (cont.)● You can use it to identify and research

target companies where you may want to work

● Build your reputation and personal brand. Engage in group discussions by sharing articles of interest with others;start interesting and relevant discussions; answer questions; etc.

Job Search

● Sign up to get job alerts about jobs you may be interested in

● Find jobs by keyword, company, postal code, industry, years of experience and date posted using Advanced Search

● Sign up for saved search email alerts● Save jobs you’re interested in

Look for ‘Apply on LinkedIn’ job postings

Request LinkedIn Recommendations

● Approach different people and suggest particular skills or experiences you would like them to highlight

● You can approach supervisors, colleagues, and clients

● A mix of 4-5 recommendations is best

Endorsements Matter!

Accumulating a high number of endorsements for a skill adds credibility to your profile and shows that your professional network recognizes you have that skill

Take Advantage of the Alumni Search to grow your network

● Go to Connections Tab, then click Find Alumni

● Also join your Alumni Community

Take Advantage of the Alumni Search to grow your network (cont.)

● Create and customize an introduction letter to fellow alumni. Include email and phone #!

Subject: Hello! A quick question from fellow alumni

Dear <First Name>,

I graduated from <Your College> in <Year Graduated> with a degree in <Your Degree/Major>. I see that you work in <Industry> and was

wondering if you would be willing chat on the phone, at your convenience of course. I would love to hear more about what you do and any

insights or advice you might have on breaking into the industry. Any help would be extremely appreciated!

Get a custom URL

On the Edit Profile screen, at the bottom of the gray window that shows your basic information, you’ll see a Public Profile URL. Click “Edit” next to the URL, and specify what you’d like your address to be. When you’re finished, click Set Custom URL.

Show, don’t just tell. Share your work!

You can now add real examples of your writing, analysis, design portfolios, or other work directly on your profile, attached to specific experience or to your Summary.

Take advantage of the Open Candidates feature

Consider signing up for a Premium LinkedIn account

Job Seeker Features

~ Free month

~ Direct messaging to recruiters

~ Featured applicant

~ Who’s Viewed Your Profile

Download the LinkedIn Jobs app

❖ Log into your LinkedIn account on the app

❖ Search for great jobs❖ Your matches show up here❖ Save jobs to apply to later

Easy job searching via the app

Search for jobs via the app.

Look for job listings that

allow you to apply via LinkedIn

Innective Job Seeker v. Effective Job Seeker

Source: LinkedIn Blog

Questions?

Email a link to your LinkedIn profile for review to Library@cibu.edu. Thank you!