A Step-by-Step Guide to a Successful LinkedIn Job Search

LinkedIn's professional network enables potential candidates to showcase their skills to a variety of businesses and recruiters. You can proactively grow your network by connecting with past and present colleagues, this maximises the possibility of being hired through the work relationships you have already developed. Most senior level executives are connected on LinkedIn, giving you the opportunity to be seen from incredibly opportunistic employers.

Here are some LinkedIn job search tips to boost your employment prospects using LinkedIn.

Recruiters generally reach out to their businesses internal network to fill vacant positions before advertising externally, building your network through known employees of your desired business or organisation can help you been seen as an applicant who already comes with a trusted reference. I recommended sending these connections a private message, identifying your interest in the company and asking them to keep you in mind for any job openings. Blair Decembrele, a LinkedIn career expert, told Business Insider, “nearly 50% of recruiters say referrals are the leading source of quality hires, and if you receive a referral, you’re 4X more likely to hear back from a recruiter.”

Leverage your connections to get recommendations and referrals to advertised positions

If you find a job listed directly on LinkedIn in which you are interested in, check out how you are connected to the hiring manager. You may also consider requesting a LinkedIn recommendation if you know someone at the company, which can help boost credibility in the eyes of the employer. LinkedIn provides a template for recommendation requests that you can edit and personalise to your liking.

Endorsements from network contacts for various skills and competencies are another way to go. An endorsement emphasises that you do, in fact, have a certain skill listed on your LinkedIn profile. 

Strategically research the company

Searching for a job is more than being noticed and connecting with the company, whether through mutual connections or cold canvassing. It is also about identifying where you fit in with the business, how you can use your experience, talent and skills to make a valuable contribution to the company’s direction and importantly, progress your career. Company profiles often provide some valuable insight into what it’s like to work with them, their culture and how they support their employees to progress their career within the company.

LinkedIn provides the ideal platform to find, follow and research a massive variety of companies. Spend some time to find out what the companies goals are, where they started and what milestones they have reached, keep abreast of the companies news by choosing to display posts in your newsfeed or receive job alerts from them. This means you get instant updates on new hires, promotions, structure changes and job opportunities, giving you the chance to apply for these roles faster and gaining that competitive edge. Recruiters are more likely to notice your name if you have established a LinkedIn history with them.

You can research your future executive team and direct reports, this is a key task in preparing for a job interview. LinkedIn can be used to find out what the hiring managers likes and hobbies are, this will help you establish some common ground and build rapport straight off the bat, this shows your keen interest in not only the company, which you have already extensively researched, but also the person you will be reporting to when you get the job.

Apply on LinkedIn Job Search Board

LinkedIn's job board has become more and more targeted over the last 5-10 years, with the use of powerful algorithms. Keywords in your profile, your skills list and industry preferences, all help LinkedIn present jobs that you would like to apply for. The more you use LinkedIn, the smarter it becomes.

You can also find job openings by searching for and clicking on specific companies. Many companies post job openings on their LinkedIn pages.

Click on  icon, enter the type of job you are looking for and the location and click search. Turn on job alerts to be notified of new positions via email, mobile and/or desktop notifications, as soon as they’re posted, once a day or once a week. LinkedIn has recently expanded this feature and there are a lot more choices you can make, even targeting specific companies.

The best jobs to apply for are the ones where you can be an early applicant. Generally, when the job is first advertised, the hiring manager or employer will be more likely to see your profile when there are only a handful of applicants. Once a role has 200+ applicants, your chances reduce.

Connect with the recruiter or hiring manager to boost your LinkedIn job search

Once you have submitted your job application, it is important to contact the hiring manager directly to, enter their name into the search box, select their name from the dropdown and click "Message" to send the recruiter a note to introduce yourself.

If you already have a mutual connection with the person you want to talk to, a former colleague or employer, you can ask them to introduce you by clicking on “Send a Message", then click on the arrow on the right of the link to see a pull-down menu that will include the words "Get an Introduction".

You want to write a concise, personalised message to them, not a full-page cover letter.

Use your research to personalise the message, and most importantly write something personal, even just a few words that are specific to that person, remember, they will PERSONALLY read this message, possibly along with hundreds of others, so it’s important to stand out from the crowd. Keep it short, sweet and to the point, show consideration for the value of their time.

Tell the person why you would like to connect, outline a personal detail or shared connection that you can reference to reinforce a mutual interest or even give them some insight as to how you might work together. Finish the message with an action, a question you would like them to answer or ask them to tell you a good time you can call to discuss the position.

If you require any further assistance, please email info@theperfectresume.com.au and we will be happy to help you. Good luck with your job hunting! Alternatively, click here to learn more about our free resume review service. 

Other Blogs That May Help

How To Build Your LinkedIn Network?	How Social Media Can Help You Land a Job Quicker?	How to Leverage your LinkedIn Profile?	How to keep a strong LinkedIn Profile