How to use LinkedIn to find a job

Over 11 million Australians now use LinkedIn. So it’s no surprise that nine out of ten recruiters use the career-focussed social media site daily. The growth of LinkedIn has meant that the user base has shifted from primarily white-collar professionals to people from all industries and job types found in Australia.

If you don’t have a profile or you aren’t actively using the site to help in your job search, you could be missing out. Learn how to use LinkedIn to get a job with these easy to follow steps.

1 - Complete your profile

Not filling out your profile is one sure-fire way for recruiters or potential employers to skip over your page. Making sure you have a professional-looking photo is only the first step. You should fill out every section you can with information that is relevant and highlights your skills and achievements. We have written an article with tips for crafting a successful LinkedIn profile if you need more help.

A complete and professional looking profile is the best way to help you get more connection requests. Having a wide variety of connections is the best way to help your LinkedIn job search.

2 - Connect with people

Connecting with people on LinkedIn is a little different from other social media sites. It is ok to reach out to people that you may not know. Keep in mind the goal of LinkedIn is to network, so connect with everyone relevant to your job search but make sure you keep it professional.

The more connections you have, the more chance you have of finding your next opportunity, and is really the key to how to you use LinkedIn to find a job.

3 - Join the conversation

There is not much point in having many connections but not being active on the site. Your connections can see what you like, share, and comment on. So, keeping your name in peoples’ feeds is all about interacting. The more meaningful or insightful the contributions you make are, the more chance a recruiter will be impressed, check out your profile, and maybe want to start talking about job opportunities.

Depending on what stage of the job hunt you are on, being an active member on the site can be an easy way how to use LinkedIn to find a job. However, it may be necessary to get more proactive.

4 - LinkedIn job search

The big benefit of searching for jobs on LinkedIn is how they use the information you have provided in your profile to match you to relevant jobs. This makes it easier to find the jobs that match your skillsets and experience and saves you time when searching. Make sure you have at least completed your profile before you start searching for jobs, however, as incomplete profiles will likely be ignored.

Have more questions about how to use LinkedIn to find a job? Reach out to one of our consultants who can point you in the right direction and assist you in your job hunt.