Is LinkedIn a place to market oneself, a job search engine, or a tool to establish and pursue networking opportunities? The answer is all of the above and so much more. With a plethora of data at your fingertips, it is the perfect medium to research your next step of your career path.
As the vast majority of open positions will never be posted (estimates for unposted positions often surpass 70%) and are filled through an organization’s internal network, you must be intentional with your research and create a list of ten to fifteen potential employers to target in your research, then utilize the following five tips to be better informed and connected in your job search:
- Search your employer list on the internet and follow them on LinkedIn. This can help to keep you up-to-date on company and industry news and gain a better understanding of a company’s mission, values and culture.
- Send a connection request to the appropriate talent acquisition professional in the department and send a brief email to introduce yourself, clearly state what type of position you are seeking and highlight an attention-grabbing skill or accomplishment to pique their interest. Remember to thank the recruiter for their time/interest.
- Use “Advanced Search”, to search for professionals in positions within organizations where you would like to land eventually. What has been their career path, education, and how often have they changed jobs? Do they belong to professional associations or volunteer? Also, notice the transferrable skills between positions as they may reveal a common thread which may not be obvious and note shared connections which can be leveraged in networking.
- Which types of articles are these professionals sharing and liking? What are their comments? This can inform and give insight into relevant industry information and or common interests.
- Join networking groups, not just to network, but to stay abreast of the latest news. Be regarded “a person in the know” and do your homework.
Lisa Grottodden is part of the GovLoop Featured Blogger program, where we feature blog posts by government voices from all across the country (and world!). To see more Featured Blogger posts, click here.
LinkedIn is a great tool for job searchers and seekers. You can learn much more about an organization and it’s people through LinkedIn than what you’ll find on a website. Great article!