I have been writing about job searching using LinkedIn for years now and it finally seems like the tide is shifting away from the major job boards to social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. As a corporate recruiter for a Fortune 500 company, I can tell your first hand that LinkedIn is my first and best source for finding talent.
In 2021 it is more important than ever to make sure you are maximizing your LinkedIn profile and positioning yourself so you get noticed by recruiters and employers.
Here are some job hunting tips for maximizing LinkedIn:
1. Connections Matter
LinkedIn has updated their search technology and algorithms dramatically over the past year. A couple of years ago you could load up your profile with a bunch of keywords and rise to the top of the search results. This is no longer the case. Connections are what matter most in 2021 and beyond. As recruiters search for candidates, the ones that are connected to them directly, indirectly or through Groups are typically the ones that will bubble up to the surface. Are you connected to recruiters in your industry or companies that you are interested in working for?
2. Locations matter
Again, I can tell you from utilizing the LinkedIn recruiter tool, all of the searches that I conduct are based on a certain radius from the location of the job. If you do not have location defined in your profile you will be missing out.
3. Skills Matter
About six months ago LinkedIn started pushing members to update the skills section of their profile. This is very important as many recruiters are starting to rely on searching by skills to find those elusive candidates. Especially in ultra competitive areas like Technology.
4. Add your Resume
Recruiters can only glean so much from your profile. Why not make it easier for recruiters and upload your resume to your profile.
The last piece of advice that i want pass along does not pertain to your profile but is still important.
5. Be Responsive
In order to maximize this LinkedIn tool (yes, it is a tool – both for recruiters and job seekers) you have to put in the effort. When a recruiter or hiring manager reaches out to you through an inmail or wants to connect you should respond. Even if you are not looking for a new job or the job is not match, perhaps you could recommend someone or help someone in your groups or network. The pay it forward philosophy works wonders on Linked.
These changes will take about 15 minutes and could make all the difference for your career in 2021.
