Tips for Using LinkedIn to Find a Job in a Competitive Market

LinkedIn is undoubtedly one of the most popular job sites in the world, with over 1 billion members in more than 200 countries and territories. Users spend an average of about eight minutes on the platform, and during that time, they typically visit around seven pages. More than 67 million companies use it for recruitment, and job seekers often cite it as their first place to go when looking for a new role. But exactly how should you use LinkedIn to find a job?

With how popular the platform has become it can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to figure out how to stand out on LinkedIn. For senior-level job seekers, it’s critical to cut through the noise from entry-level candidates and highlight decades of skills and expertise. For entry-level candidates, it’s important to stand out from the crowd.

No matter where you are in your career, here are our tips to help you get the most out of LinkedIn:

Always Keep Your Profile Updated

✔ Update it even if you’re not actively searching

✔ Makes it easier for recruiters to find you

✔ Saves you time when you do start searching

✔ Can lead to unexpected opportunities

Whether you’re actively looking for a job in tech or happy with your current employment, it’s always essential to keep your LinkedIn profile updated. When you’re not actively searching for your next IT role, keeping it updated leaves the door open to new and better opportunities that may come in from recruiters. It’s also helpful to stay up to date with the options out there, and having an active, current profile saves tech job seekers a lot of time when you want to start applying for a new role.

Craft A Unique Bio

✔ Helps you stand out from the crowd

✔ Shows off your personality and character

✔ Reflects your goals and values

✔ Adds a personal touch to help you connect

Top employers want well-rounded, personable team members with great soft skills. A well-crafted bio can help candidates stand out when using LinkedIn to find a job in IT. It’s about more than hitting the tech skill requirements and being able to check those boxes. It’s important to fit in with the company culture and align with the company’s goals. Make use of your bio to show what your values are, what you’re looking for, or even some fun facts about yourself to let your personality shine. This can make you a more memorable candidate and help recruiters or hiring managers connect with you as a person.

Utilize Endorsements

✔ Ask colleagues to endorse key skills

✔ Distinguishes you for recruiters

✔ Proves that your experience is credible

✔ Signals that you worked well with your team

When you’re getting ready to use LinkedIn to find an IT job, don’t be afraid to ask for social endorsements. Ask close colleagues to endorse specific skills and talk about your role in certain projects. These individual endorsements can be invaluable to a recruiter trying to distinguish candidates from one another. Having colleagues or peers endorse your skills helps prove that your experience is credible and recognized by members of your organization. If you’re looking to collect new endorsements, then it’s good form to start by endorsing colleagues first so they will return the favor.

Put Keywords into Job Experience Descriptions

✔ Think of LinkedIn as a search engine

✔ Start with a bulleted list of relevant terms

✔ Make sure you show up more frequently in search results

LinkedIn is more than a social network; it also functions as a search engine. Appropriately placed keywords can help candidates show up in search results. For example, software engineers could write bullet points containing programming languages or phrases like “scrum,” “agile testing,” and more. If you’re wondering how to use LinkedIn to find a job, using the right searchable keywords and phrases is a quick way to start getting your profile seen by people seeking those skillsets for an open IT opportunity.

Show Off Certifications or Workshops

✔ Great to highlight hands-on roles

✔ Shows you are serious about sharpening your skills

✔ Demonstrates interest in continuous education

Especially in hands-on areas of IT, certifications and workshops indicate that tech candidates are going the extra mile to stay on top of best practices and new developments in the field. It shows that you care about continuous education and will most likely be a hard worker who is always looking to improve themselves. This type of person would be an asset to any team, so it’s important to indicate it on your profile.

Create a Strong Headline

✔ Avoid oversimplifying

✔ Remember your keywords

✔ Add detail to your profile

Avoid simple phrases that don’t tell recruiters much, like “Coding.” Include more specific information about the type of coding you do, the languages you are familiar with, or other specifics that would catch a recruiter’s attention. Use relevant keywords and give a few more details about your past work or where you want to go next. For example, “Data Scientist for Enterprise B2B Brands,” tells hiring managers and recruiters a great deal about your experience in one short phrase. Creating an eye-grabbing headline will help you get the most out of LinkedIn so you can find a new job in IT.

Use the #Opentowork Feature When Actively Applying

✔ Great when you are on the hunt for a job

✔ Alerts the community that you’re searching for a role

✔ Helps keep you top of mind

Even if you’re not actively looking, you can keep it discreet and mark yourself #Opentowork so that only recruiters can see. If you’re an active job seeker and it’s okay for everyone to know, turning on the #OpentoWork feature lets your network and the greater community know to send relevant positions your way.

Create Posts for Personal Branding

✔ Demonstrate that you’re an expert

✔ Brand yourself as a thought leader

✔ Start with 1-2 posts per week

Creating engaging, thoughtful LinkedIn posts takes time, but it’s one of the best things job seekers can do to drive traffic to their profiles. When thinking about how to use LinkedIn to find an IT job, remember that it’s a social networking platform too! By branding yourself as a thought leader, you can attract recruiters and employers by positioning yourself as an expert in your field. Aim to start with one to two posts a week and build from there. The more your network engages with your posts, the larger your profile reach will become. This will help you form connections, grow your network, and show off what you know.

Reach Out to a Recruiter

✔ Start by connecting

✔ Carefully craft your message

✔ Continue to foster the relationship

Another important way to use LinkedIn to find a tech job is by reaching out to IT recruiters and connecting with them. Most recruiters are highly active on LinkedIn, and it only takes a few minutes to craft a message to send with your connection request. After you’re connected and they respond, make sure to take the time to send a professional reply and leave a positive impression. Even if they say they don’t have any openings right now, it’s a great professional relationship to foster for future opportunities.

Start Finding Jobs Beyond LinkedIn

If you’ve wondered how to use LinkedIn to find a job, these tips will give you an excellent starting point. After utilizing LinkedIn to its full potential, getting in contact with a top-rated recruiting firm is the next best step.

INSPYR Solutions works with a large range of companies, from Fortune 50s to startups, placing top tech candidates in contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire roles. Our team can also help with resumes, interviewing coaching, and provide tips for polishing up your LinkedIn profile.

Submit your resume or apply for a job today to get started!