Boost Your LinkedIn Job Search
Career Tips, Latest News & Advice,

Finding a job can be a daunting task, especially in today’s competitive job market. As a job seeker, you may be sending out countless resumes, attending numerous interviews, and still not getting any results. In such a situation, it is essential to take a step back and re-evaluate your job search strategy. This article offers practical tips for job seekers to optimize their LinkedIn experience. Whether starting or experienced, these tips help you stand out and land your dream job. So, if you’re ready to take your job search to the next level, read on!

  • Build Out Your LinkedIn Profile
    • This can be frustrating and tedious at times, but LinkedIn creates a digital resume/profile that not only internal organizations use to find talent but external agencies as well, like Gateway!
    • Add ALL the skills and knowledge she has relating to the desired career; these are Keywords or industry “buzz words” that recruiters search for. This will pull your profile into an “ideal search” when recruiters are looking for strong candidates.
    • Show off your skills in the skills and endorsements section, you can have up to 50 skills.
    • Having your LinkedIn fully optimized will help with “one-click” apply for jobs via LinkedIn, which we will mention again in part 4.
    • Turn on the “open to work” setting on your profile.
    • Try LinkedIn Premium for Free for one month.
  • Grow Your Connections
    • Start connecting with recruiters, talent acquisition, managers, and directors at organizations of interest (I also recommend following their company page)
    • When you connect with these people, LinkedIn allows you to attach a note. This 300-character opportunity allows you to introduce yourself with something catchy and mention your intention with connecting.
    • For Example: “Hi XYZ, I am interested in learning more about your data analyst roles. I would love to set up a time to connect, introduce myself and share how I can be of added value to your team! Cheers, Rachel” This is just a quick example, make something your own, maybe they have something in their profile that you also like, music, dogs, cats, cooking, whatever it may be, try and personalize this message and be genuine.
    • Use groups to network, ask questions, find other job openings/postings, and build additional connections in your industry!
  • Set Realistic Targets
    • Instead of applying for 50 jobs a day, go for quality rather than quantity.
    • Start small with effective actions utilizing your connections by sending messages to create relationships.
    • Do research on the company; do they fit your values, interests, industry, location, etc.
    • Visualize your ideal role and ensure that these opportunities will meet your expectations (sometimes you will not get this insight until an interview stage, but that’s okay!)
  • Toggle on “Job Alerts”
    • This will allow you to get notifications on open jobs that meet your requirements: Location, title, on-site, remote, etc.
    • When you get these notifications, you can easily and quickly hit “Easy Apply” since your LinkedIn profile is ready to go.
    • Some open jobs even share who is on the hiring team for that position…… connect, connect, connect!
  • Stay Organized!
    • Create your own tracking system of whom you’ve talked to, when you talked to them, and what you talked about (Excel or Google sheets work great).
    • Don’t forget to follow up with people you have reached out to if you haven’t gotten a response, just because they did not respond, does not mean they read it. Sometimes it can take 4-6 times of you reaching out before you even get a response.
    • Stay organized to maintain a smooth process. If an offer doesn’t come through, you have a pipeline of contacts to reach out to.

In conclusion, job searching is challenging, but with the right approach, it can be rewarding and fulfilling. Remember to utilize social media to your advantage, it’s completely free! And most importantly, don’t give up! Take it one step at a time, make forward progress toward your overall goal, and remember Beverly Sills said, “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”

Best of luck on your job search journey!

Visit www.GatewayRecruiting.com to view all our open jobs.