Be Mindful of Your Profile Settings
If you’re job searching, you can adjust your profile settings to let recruiters know you’re open to work. And if you don’t necessarily want your current employer to find out about it, you can tweak your settings further to hide this info from anyone working at the same company as you. You can also control who sees your updates.
Add the Link to Your LinkedIn on Your Resume
After you’ve put all this work into your LinkedIn Profile, don’t forget to direct people to it. You can add your URL right to your resume and even hyperlink it so that anyone reading your resume on a computer can immediately find out more about why you’re a great candidate.
Become an Active / Engaged User
Once your profile is finished, you can’t just abandon LinkedIn until the next time you’re applying for a job: You need to be an active user. That’s your number one way to start seeing more success on LinkedIn. Actively using LinkedIn will help you grow your network, be more visible to your existing network, and learn more about your role, industry, and potential opportunities.
Request Connections (and Do It Thoughtfully)
My favorite part about LinkedIn is that it’s the number one place to network. You can start building your professional network online by connecting with people you already know, but you can also request connections from people you don’t know who might be able to help you grow in your career. LinkedIn’s alumni tool (under the “Alumni” tab on your school’s profile) can help you find other professionals who went to your college, for example. Or you might request to connect with people who work at companies or in jobs you’re interested in. You can even look for people by searching keywords within the search bar like “product marketer” or even “introvert”.
No matter who you’re requesting to connect with, include a message, and personalize, personalize, personalize. Pay attention to what they have in their profile, and be very specific about what you hope to get out of connecting. Also, be conscientious—give people an out and don’t take declined connections personally.
Once you connect, you can continue the conversation: Consider setting up an informational interview to learn more about what someone does or the company they work for or talk about new developments in your field. You’ll also start to see each other in your feeds so you can comment on their posts and updates.
Don’t Just Network — Use LinkedIn to Learn and Grow
Most people know LinkedIn is a networking platform, but it’s also a knowledge-sharing resource. Users talk about what they’ve learned in posts, leading to discussions among professionals. If there’s a new development in your field, you can learn about it in a more interactive way than just Googling it—you’ll see what others think and can join in the discussion.
LinkedIn Learning is another great feature—you can learn and develop a range of new skills and add completed courses directly to your profile. Perusing the profiles of people who have the type of job or work in the industry you’re interested in can help you identify which exact courses you might want to take—or at least give you clues based on their skills and experiences.
Start Posting
All LinkedIn users can write posts or even articles on the platform. These posts will help you build up your reputation as an expert. You can post your perspective about what’s going on in your field or weigh in on a recent industry development, and possibly show off your writing skills at the same time. You can even share relevant articles you’ve come across elsewhere online. Even if you’re a new professional or new in your field, “you have something to contribute,” and other users will notice.
If you don’t feel ready to write your own posts just yet, start by commenting. Select relevant interests on your profile and follow experts, thought leaders, and others in your field who have careers you’d like to learn something from. Then, engage with their posts on your news feed. You’ll learn, gain connections, and get food for thought for your own posts.
Join LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn Groups are an incredible way to find even more like-minded professionals in your job or industry. You can discuss relevant topics in a more focused setting and become more engaged in your field. Plus, the other group members are a large pool of possible connections.
Don’t Only Pay Attention When You’re Job Searching
There are many benefits to LinkedIn for people who aren’t looking to switch jobs—from developing relationships with others in your field to learning new skills that will help you in your current job. Plus, staying active on LinkedIn after you’ve landed that new role and are no longer job searching helps make that next job search that much easier. Build up your network and personal brand before you need to tap into it to land your next job. You’ll also stay top of mind for people in your network, and when it’s time to find the next right role for you, you’d be surprised how many people will feel invested in your search.