If you’re not on LinkedIn, you should respectfully pause reading until you go (now) and sign up. As a business professional, LinkedIn is your billboard. A professional social platform where you can showcase your educational and career highlights while interacting with other professionals in your industry and beyond. We strongly encourage you not only to have a LinkedIn but also to remain active on the account.

Especially considering the current state of the job market we recommend keeping your options open. There may very well come a time when you feel you would like to look for a new opportunity or a career change and being active on LinkedIn is proven to assist in your job search. Studies have shown that 122 million people received an interview through LinkedIn with 25.5 million having been hired by a person they connected with on the site.  LinkedIn is a platform that our recruiters use daily in their search for qualified candidates to fill our open jobs. In fact, over 75% of recruiters and onboarding employees use LinkedIn as a key source in finding candidates, and literally, all you have to do is have an account.

If this all sounds amazing but you’re still not sure where to begin, follow the steps below.

  • Sign up – This will require you to select an email (preferably a professional one that you check frequently) to link with the account as well as make a password.
  • Add your educational background whatever it may be, high school diploma, Associate’s Degree, and beyond. (This will include the degree earned, the school the degree was received, and the dates attended).
  • Add your professional work history that pertains to your current or desired role (This will include job title, place of employment, and dates employed).
  • Choose a professional photo.
  • Start connecting with fellow coworkers, others in your industry, recruiters, etc.

At this point, you should have a solid profile. From here, you should remain active on your account. Engage with posts by liking or commenting on them and share your own content that is relevant to your industry. LinkedIn is a great way to stay in the know about changes or opportunities that may be available to you. Make sure you are also keeping your profile up to date. If you change careers or gain a new certification, add it to your profile! You are encouraged to boast about your accomplishments!

If you’re in a job search, there is a great feature on LinkedIn that you can access by simply selecting the “Jobs” tab where you will find a list of open jobs near you. If you find any positions of interest in your search you can upload your resume directly to these positions. If this is something you are taking advantage of, make sure to continually check your profile for any responses you may receive. We can tell you that timing is key in finding your perfect career fit and if you are not on top of your search you may miss an opportunity. If you happen to log on and see a message from a couple of months back, you should still respond. Even if that position is not still open there may be another one open, and at the very least the recruiter or hiring manager is aware of your interest and will keep you in mind for future opportunities.

For further assistance in your job search or your search for qualified candidates, please call us at (518) 275-4816 or email jobs@walrathrecruiting.com.

 

 

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