Although the Great Recession that began in the late 2000s may technically be over, many people are still looking for work. If you’re one of them, you know that you must take advantage of every available tool at your disposal. As of August 2012, LinkedIn had more than 174 million members, according to the CFO website.

If you’re not already on LinkedIn, you should join today.

Attract Recruiters With Your Profile

If you do nothing else on LinkedIn, flesh out your profile so that it is as complete as possible. Complete profiles show up higher in search results than incomplete profiles. An important aspect of completing your profile is collecting references. Choose several of your past positions or assignments and reach out to former supervisors or colleagues for references to include with your LinkedIn profile.

You should also include a photo, which should be a professional looking headshot of your full face. If you’re concerned about maintaining your privacy or subjecting yourself to age or other discriminatory practices, LinkedIn’s privacy controls allow you to limit who can view various parts of your profile, including your photo. However, many LinkedIn members view profiles without photos with suspicion.

You should also include keywords within your profile that recruiters in your field look for. Don’t keyword stuff, of course, but include specific terminology that is associated with your line of work, just as you would with a scanable resume or CV. Doing so adds to the search engine optimization of your profile, and allows you to be considered for jobs that are never publicized, and which you may never otherwise ever know about.

Leverage Contacts and Groups

Although LinkedIn supposedly limits you to making direct contacts with people you know personally, it’s still possible to leverage your reach far beyond your personal acquaintances. Join groups related to your alma mater or to your industry. Many group members allow other group members to contact them directly through LinkedIn. You may also make contact with people who are connected with your contacts by asking for an introduction. Both of these functions are free; however, you may also purchase InMail credits that allow you to contact LinkedIn members who are outside your network.

Participate in Online Discussions

While posting your LinkedIn profile is an excellent start, you can’t just sit back and expect recruiters to find you. Participate in the discussion forums of your LinkedIn groups. Post and respond to questions on the LinkedIn Q and A forum. These strategies help raise your profile among recruiters as well as among influential figures in your industry sector who may very well reach out to you with lucrative work offers.

Use LinkedIn Search Functions

Of course, you can apply to LinkedIn job listings directly. However, just as with any other posted job, you may face stiff competition from other job applicants. On the other hand, using the LinkedIn search function allows you to take a proactive approach. Search out hiring officials, recruiters and human resources officers from companies for which you wish to work and reach out to them through your groups, introductions or InMail.

For Further Reading

• Does My LinkedIn Profile Really Need a Photo? 
executivecareerbrand.com/does-my-linkedin-profile-really-need-a-photo/
• Five Ways to Win a New Job Using LinkedIn
forbes.com/sites/jeromeyoung/2011/08/09/linkedin/
• LinkedIn Mobile Aims to Diversify New Revenue Stream
cfo.com/article/2012/8/technology_linkedin-mobile_advertising-facebook-mobile_apps-mobile-strategy
• LinkedIn Photo Advice: the Why, What and What Happened?
windmillnetworking.com/2010/07/30/linkedin-photo-advice-the-why-what-and-what-happened/
• LinkedIn Profile Changes: What You Should Know 
informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/linkedin-profile-changes-what-you-should/240006005
• New Expert Tips for Using LinkedIn 
forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2012/05/08/new-expert-tips-for-using-linkedin/
• Smarter Ways for Job Hunters to Use LinkedIn 
jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/08/31/find-a-job-linkedin/
• Ten Tricky Ways an Older Job Seeker Can Leverage LinkedIn to Get a Job
internsover40.blogspot.com/2009/10/10-ways-to-use-linkedin-to-get-job.html

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This entry was posted on Friday, October 5th, 2012 at 8:54 am and is filed under Career, Job Search, Networking, Recruiting, Social Media. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.