How to use LinkedIn to make yourself more employable

Although many don’t know it, LinkedIn is one of the most effective ways of getting a new job. The website’s vast database of contacts is reason enough to sign up and, if used correctly, it will save you hours, making the job hunt all the more easy. Here’s how to use LinkedIn to make yourself more employable.

NAIL YOUR PROFILE

It may sound obvious, but really nailing your profile is a surefire way to impress potential employers. Everything from your headline to your previous jobs and education sections should all be completed, not only making you appear more professional but also increasing chances of people finding you. Speaking of your headline, it’s this coupled with your profile photo that people will see first, before they even click through to your page. Ensure both are done well and you’ll be a step ahead already.

CONNECT!

It’s a simple fact that the bigger your LinkedIn network is, the more people (and businesses) you’ll be able to interact with, which can only be a good thing. This will also mean that you’ll appear in more people’s searches and related boxes too. It’s also a benefit in the sense that if you want to contact an individual or business then you’ll have more of a chance of being able to!

RESEARCH

Picture this: You’ve bagged an interview at a company you’d love to work for, through LinkedIn or not, and you need to prepare. It sounds a little bit creepy, but an easy way to gain more insight into the prospective company is to scan the ins and outs of their LinkedIn page and/or the people who work there. The more you know about your prospective employers, the better prepared you can be for your interview.

STAND OUT

It’s one thing to successfully fill out your entire LinkedIn profile; it’s quite another to boast a unique feature that makes you stand out above the rest. As terribly cliched as it sounds, it wouldn’t hurt to think outside the box when it comes to your profile. You have plenty of space on your profile, so use it up. If you’ve done any video work, be that speaking to a group or conducting a presentation, add it in.