We live in a generation where social media surrounds us. Whether it be Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. Each of these have their own pros and cons but one of the most popular form of social media for professional connections in the job industry is LinkedIn. According to Wilson (2009) many mistake LinkedIn as an “upmarket” version of Facebook. It is comparable to Facebook but with more of a professional twist on it. LinkedIn is used by companies looking for potential employees and the people seeking jobs. According to Marshall (2011) “34% of the current membership identifies themselves as entry level, 23% are senior level, 17% manager level, 6% director and around 6% are top (executive) level management (3%each for vice president and Clevels)”(p.5). These job-seekers can browse through the company’s requirements and decide if they fit the criteria. If they do, they can message the company via LinkedIn but in order to get to this step, you must first learn how to set up your LinkedIn profile.
The more connections a profile has, the higher the change of the profile getting looked at by a potential employer. Source : http://alleecreative.com/blog/2014/04/09/4-ways-to-improve-linkedin-company-page/
The first thing a potential job-seeker should focus on is their profile picture because that is the first thing that a potential employer gets a view of. Upload a professional headshot and write a convincing headline right under your name. Use this headline space to draw in the potential employer by stating your careers/positions. Use the LinkedIn interface to list out all achievements and be sure to go into detail about them. Try to elaborate it as much as you can whilst making use of the 1000 character limit. Elaborate on anything that you weren’t able to fit on your resume. You basically are marketing yourself. Make wise use of the character limits to list out your past projects, experience, etc. You have to try to sell yourself to the employer and thus it is very rewarding to have past job experience/projects in the field you are applying for.
After setting up your profile, you want to network with professional companies out there on LinkedIn. You should connect with existing professional and personal contacts, whether it be your previous co-workers, your manager, your classmates, friends, etc. Always take a look at invitations from people you do not know, they could be potential employers who are hiring in your area. Do not just reject the invitation because you do not know them in person. If you are sending an invitation to a potential employer, try not to use the default LinkedIn message that says “Hi ______, I’d like to connect with you on LinkedIn”. Instead take the time to write them a message explaining your purpose for sending them the invitation. By adding these employers, you can grow your connection network by taking a look at the employer’s connections and then sending them an invitation. It may be hard to get connections when you first start out on LinkedIn, but eventually once the connections start adding up, your profession network grows rapidly.
Works Cited:
Secondary: Marshall, R. (2011). CE’S growing Linkedin presence. Chemical Engineering, 118(13), 5.
Primary: Shin, L. (2014, June 26). How To Use LinkedIn: 5 Smart Steps To Career Success. Retrieved October 14, 2014, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurashin/2014/06/26/how-to-use-linkedin-5-smart-steps-to-career-success/
Third source: Wilson, J. J. (2009). Social networking: the business case. Engineering & Technology (17509637), 4(10), 54-56. doi:10.1049/et.2009.1010
ahmedsyed1993 