How To Find A Job Using Linkedin

More and more savvy job seekers are now using the Internet and social marketing to network and land their next job. In recent years several large business-oriented social networking sites have popped up online, the most notable being Linkedin. Linkedin was founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003, it is mainly used for professional networking. This business only community has more than 200 million registered users, spanning more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Linkedin is a great online resource for professional networking - and professional networking is one of the most effective strategies for finding a job in a weak job market.

The following steps can help you use Linkedin to find your next job.

Step 1 - Complete Your Profile 100% - Completing your LinkedIn profile 100% not only helps you rise higher in Linkedin People searches, but it also makes you appear much more professional to potential employers who come across your profile. As you probably are already aware, first impressions are very important. Your LinkedIn profile may be the first impression you make on a potential recruiter or employer. It's also important to make sure that you communicate a focused message through your profile. If you're seeking career opportunities in finance, make sure your profiles speaks to your interest, experience and expertise in this field.

Step 2 - Get Recommended - Once you've completed your profile 100% request as many good recommendations as you can from previous classmates, colleagues, partners, clients and even professors. These recommendations don't need to be long and lengthy, just short and sweet, genuine and supportive of the personal brand you're trying to develop. It's also valuable if you're able to get recommendations from work associates, previous employers and other industry professionals.

Step 3 - Start Building Your Network - Now you want to connect with all of your past and current professional contacts that are also participating in Linkedin. We also suggest that you get involved in open networking, which involves getting connected with professionals you know as well as those you don't. Join job search relevant Linkedin groups, including industry-specific groups, alumni groups, interest groups, etc. All these efforts will greatly increase the size of your network and enable you to contact more individuals regarding potential job opportunities. Click here to learn more about building a professional network using Linkedin.

Step 4 - Stay Active - Don't put up your profile, establish your network and then just sit there and wait. Get involved and start actively contributing. Join in discussion groups, offer insightful answers to questions in Linkedin's Answers forum, post links to good articles, share interesting news and events with your network via status updates, add your blog feed or share your recommended reading link with profile applications. All these activities will greatly increase your visibility on Linkedin and will help you communicate your personal brand to your network.

Step 5 - Search Jobs - Did you know that LinkedIn has its own job board? That's right LinkedIn has its own job board full of listings that registered members can browse. Many of the job opportunities listed identify the individuals and/or company that posted them. You can apply directly for positions listed and following up later by contacting the company or individual that posted the listing. LinkedIn job listings also provide a great opportunity for networking. We also recommend checking the discussions and job boards on the groups you are in, as may job opportunities may be posted by individuals in your network.

Step 6 - Follow Company Activity - Now that you've built your profiles, developed your network and staying involved in the LinkedIn community it's time for you to start following the activities of specific companies by visiting their profiles and clicking the "Follow Company" link. Following a company's activities is an effective research tool that can help you stay abreast of recent news, new hires, job listings, and more.

The above steps will help you make the most of LinkedIn as a networking and job generation tool. However, no amount of social media networking can replace more traditional strategies for finding a job (i.e. person-to-person networking, attending networking events, career fairs, interviewing, resume building, cold calling, etc.) While you should most definitely develop your LinkedIn profile and engage in LinkedIn social networking opportunities you should also be actively employing a variety of other job search strategies.

While many individuals don't recognize the value of employing social media as a job search strategy others tend to believe that social media is the solution to their job searching. LinkedIn is one of several job search strategies that should be included in a comprehensive job search plan.