Many more businesses are using LinkedIn as their primary or sole job-posting site, hence, it can be your secret weapon if you know its best practices.
Job Description: the first thing to do is to ensure the job you are seeking is highly relevant to who you are and what you do. You would be wasting the hiring manager’s time and tarnishing your reputation when applying for jobs not relevant to you. Your profile must demonstrate that you have the skills, talent and experience relevant to the position applied for.
Key Words: Study each job description and use the words it uses in your profile and resume. Applicant Tracking Systems and LinkedIn use keywords in their search, and you have to use the exact keywords to align with their search and get you selected.
Groups and Influencers: Join relevant groups and follow people who are connected to your career interests, then make comments on relevant topics in public forums. You are likely to get the attention from the so-called influencers that you are seeking. Also start a business conversation and not a job conservation – that shows you off as being smart. Develop multiple relationships with the right people over time and they will come to you with job openings.
Your Profile: Make sure your profile’s headlines reflects the job you are seeking and not the job you currently have. Also maximize the power of LinkedIn by joining your college page, former employer pages or professional / trade associations. Keep up with your connections, even when not seeking a new position. This makes it easier to ask for introductions when the time comes. More importantly, have a connection in the organization where you want to work.
Photo, Location, College: Have a great professional profile photo probably taken by a professional photographer and preferably not the same one you use on Facebook. If you are seeking a job in a new geographic area, update your location in your profile before you apply. You are likely to be filtered out “over concern about nonexistent relocation expenses” if you don’t. Also possibly take a development class at a top-ranked university and include its name in your profile because recruiters filter job resumes for prestigious colleges.
Even if a position sounds perfect for you, don’t just apply for it. First update your LinkedIn profile and build a relationship with the individuals in the company where you want to work. Thereafter celebrate the dream job with minimal effort.