If you’re like me, you joined LinkedIn after hearing your friends talk about LinkedIn and all the opportunities available for job seekers. Heck, you even joined thinking that you could land a job in less than one week!
It’s over a month now, and you haven’t landed that opportunity and it seems like all you heard about LinkedIn was hype and no substance. Well, far from it, LinkedIn is worth the hype people give to it, and though I can’t deny that you may feel a bit intimidated within your first few months on LinkedIn, the good news is that within a short time you’ll settle and get along comfortably.
That said, as a job seeker that wishes to utilize the LinkedIn platform for job search, it’s important for you to understand not only the job search benefits of LinkedIn but also how recruiters who use LinkedIn for recruitment think. Hence, this post will cover information about how to apply for jobs, LinkedIn job search terminologies that you should know, and do’s and don’t when hunting for job through LinkedIn.
You may also read: LinkedIn Beginner’s Introduction
Why LinkedIn is important for Job Seekers
LinkedIn holds a lot of benefits for career hopefuls who join in search of job openings. The job search benefits of LinkedIn for job seekers transcends just landing a job. Through LinkedIn, a job seeker can build connections, partnerships, build a personal brand, and become a thought leader especially when efforts meet opportunities.
If you’re a job seeker, don’t second guess LinkedIn, take it seriously.
Top benefits of LinkedIn for job seekers
- Make Your Job Hunt Social
Whether you like it or not, recruitment is becoming more social as we develop into the 21st century. We moved from sending hard copies of your CV from one company to the next, to submitting your CVs through different job boards. Now, recruitment is taking a different shape, and people are landing jobs because of their online connections and the value they give out daily.
LinkedIn can help you connect to people on a different level that they trust you even without meeting you. Employers have always sought opportunities to know their prospective hires beyond what their CVs say, and LinkedIn gives them that mirror to see into your life outside the four walls of an office. So, don’t hesitate, start using LinkedIn today for your benefit.
- Easily Communicate Your Value and Attract Opportunities
Through LinkedIn, you don’t necessarily need to submit a CV or apply for a job to land opportunities. Your interactions alone may be all you need for someone who needs your services to identify you.
More people are now using social platforms to observe and identify talents and LinkedIn has proven to be the hunting ground for recruiters and headhunters. People can recommend you or give you job offers not because you submitted an application, but because they see how well you communicate and discuss issues around your industry.
- Online Portfolio
Your LinkedIn profile can serve as you online portfolio, your mobile and flexible CV. People can use it to get a balanced view of who you are and what you’re about. If you are not confident of your LinkedIn profile, then it’s time to get a makeover/optimization.
- Access to Thought Leaders
Through LinkedIn, you can get access to experts in your industry that can change your life forever. Because LinkedIn makes it easy for you to build networks with professionals from other countries, you can grow your network base and gain knowledge from professionals that have gone ahead of you.
Note: LinkedIn is the best social platform to find director, vice president, and c-level executives of your best companies.
- Build Your Brand
Through your LinkedIn, you can build a brand for yourself and improve your chances of landing attractive offers. In other words, your consistent activities on LinkedIn will create your luck when opportunities come knocking.
- Development Tools
LinkedIn Learning platform is second to none when it comes to online certifications. You can have access to thousands of learning resources and gain certifications in key areas. For students and fresh graduates, you can utilize the one-month free premium offering to take as many courses as you can ang get certified.
- Build Lasting Networks and Relationships
Another advantage of LinkedIn for job seekers is that you can build relationships that will benefit you beyond landing a job.
How to Apply for Jobs on LinkedIn
There are two provisions to apply for jobs on LinkedIn depending on the recruiter’s preference. One type keeps you on the platform where you’d start and complete your application within the app. While the other step takes you to an external landing page to continue with your application.
Whichever one you witness, applying for jobs on LinkedIn is quite easy especially if you’re using the easy apply option. To apply for jobs on LinkedIn, you have to;
- Identify vacancies that suit you.
- Peruse the details of the vacancy and offering.
- Ensure that you are qualified and you meet the requirement for the offering.
- Proceed to apply either through the app or any other available option the company has provided e.g mailing your CV to them.
Top LinkedIn Job Search Functions That Job Seekers Should Understand
Here are some terms you should be familiar with if you’re actively using LinkedIn for job searching:
1) Easy apply
You can apply for jobs using this feature of LinkedIn’s job search tool without leaving the app. You must fill out some personal information and respond to screening questions in order to complete the simple application.
2) My Jobs/Applied Jobs
After applying for jobs, you may keep track of your applications in your applied jobs section.
3) Suggested Job Search
Based on your prior searches, current role, and education, the LinkedIn algorithm curates these recommendations for you. Through this, LinkedIn hopes to ease your search for suitable positions.
4) Job Alerts
Job alerts is a feature on LinkedIn that enables you to be notified of job vacancies that match your criteria. You can set it up for free and receive notifications whenever jobs within your interest get posted on LinkedIn.
5) Open to Work
Open to work is a LinkedIn function that places a green badge on your profile, this badge serves as an invitation to employers and recruiters to contact you if there’s an offer for you. It also helps your network know when you’re open for career recommendations
LinkedIn Job Search Safety Tips
If you’re actively using LinkedIn to search for jobs, while at it, keep an eye out for these signs of potential fraud and consider reporting jobs that:
- Ask for payment, your account credentials, or other highly sensitive personal data. Legitimate employers never require payment.
- Claim to be high paying for little work.
- Give job offers after one remote interview. This is rare, so research the employer and job poster thoroughly.
If you need additional LinkedIn job search support, get in touch with LinkedIn help center.
Summary
Whether you’re a recent graduate or a seasoned professional, LinkedIn is a crucial tool in your toolbox for job hunters. Future rewards will come from the cumulative relevance you’ll develop using the LinkedIn platform.
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