Use LinkedIn to Your Advantage

Though there are many other social networking platforms catered to businesses and professionals, LinkedIn remains the premium site for this target audience – so don’t underestimate its importance.

Aplace to showcase your resume, build your network and suss out jobs that suit your skill set, among many others, LinkedIn is a valuable resource for anyone looking to start their career.

But, like all social networking sites, LinkedIn can be a double-edged sword, depending on the user. Read on to learn how to harness its power and use it to your advantage!

Constructing your profile

Profiles on LinkedIn act like online resumes, allowing you to mould your personal brand. Choose a profile picture that adequately reflects the industry you’re either already in or looking to enter, and include a conspicuous yet explanatory headline on top of a powerful summary of your skills and career aspirations.

Depending on your sector of choice, weave links into your resume that leads to some of your best works so employers can get a peek at your portfolio. But even as you add work experience to your profile, make sure that your career moves are in line with your career aspirations, starting with what recruiters would be interested in.

To give the impression of an allrounder, add both your educational and extracurricular achievements to your profile too!

Growing your online network

Continuously make connections on LinkedIn by adding friends and coworkers, and don’t forget to promote your skill sets to get endorsements as well. As endorsements are also popular among employers, get your connections to write recommendations for you.

Moreover, as a professional networking platform, LinkedIn keeps you updated on your contacts’ work anniversaries and promotions, so don’t hesitate to use these opportunities to keep in touch with them.

But as you grow and compile your network on LinkedIn, remain careful – use judgement and discernment on this site just as much as you might on Facebook and Instagram.

Discovering jobs that fit

After crafting a profile for yourself, clicking on the “Jobs” tab will bring you to a page where a list of jobs has been shortlisted for you. Based off your biography, these roles are generally relevant to the skills mentioned in your profile.

You’ll also be able to check out who among your contacts work with these companies, so if you decide to gun for some of these positions, you can ask your connections to endorse you.

Applying for positions

Many job application procedures will require you to upload your resume, though some postings may redirect you to a company’s site or portal. However, some posts only need you to click on the EasyApply button, making the application process much easier.

Even better, many companies allow jobseekers to import their LinkedIn profiles when applying for positions on their website, cutting down on filling up applications and freeing up time to customise resumes and other relevant documents.

Raising your profile

As a graduate actively looking for a job, you can indicate your willingness to allow recruiters to contact you on your LinkedIn profile. This will come in handy when recruiters sift through talent based on keywords as they will likely come across your profile, and reach out to you if you fit the bill.

State your career goals seriously and honestly, and work towards a perfect profile to get as many matches that are as pertinent to you as possible.

Engaging with employers and groups

Because many employers extensively craft their brand on LinkedIn, follow your dream companies there and reach out to them on occasion; potential candidates willing to engage meaningfully with employers are highly sought-after, so don’t be afraid to make your presence known.

On top of that, it’s still a social networking platform, so LinkedIn also offers a cache of Pages and Interest Groups overflowing with online communities of professionals linked by sectors or markets. Based on your fields of interests or study, simply use keywords to search for these groups and follow them – you don’t know what opportunities they might yield!