At the management level, you know the importance of building a strong network. After all, your professional network is one of your most valuable assets. When you’re looking for a new management role, LinkedIn can be a powerful tool to help you expand your network and find your next role. Here’s how to use LinkedIn to support your management-level job search.
Start With Your Profile
When you’re searching for a job, your LinkedIn profile is often the first impression that potential employers will have of you. Make sure your profile is up-to-date and includes relevant information about your work, experience, value offer, and achievements. If you don’t have a profile photo, now is the time to add one as research consistently shows that profiles with photos are 7 times more likely to be viewed by other LinkedIn members.
Join Relevant Groups
LinkedIn has a plethora of groups covering every imaginable topic. Joining groups related to your industry or field can help you expand your professional network and connect with potential employers. Groups are also a great way to stay up-to-date on industry news and trends.
Reach Out and Connect with People You Know—and People You Want to Know
One of the best ways to grow your professional network is by connecting with people you already know, including former colleagues, alumni, and family friends. LinkedIn also makes it easy to connect with people you want to know, such as potential employers, clients, or vendors. When reaching out to someone new, personalize your request so they know why you want to connect with them.
Use Keywords
When recruiters search for candidates on LinkedIn, they use keywords that relate to the skills and experience they’re looking for. You can make sure you show up in those searches by incorporating relevant keywords into your profile—in your headline, summary (about me), work history, skills section, and other areas of your profile. Unsure of which keywords to use? Check out LinkedIn’s job posting feature to see which keywords are being used in job postings that match your criteria.
Seek Out Recommendations and Endorsements
Recommendations and endorsements from past employers, clients, and colleagues can add credibility to your profile and help you stand out from other candidates when recruiters are searching for candidates with specific skills and experience. Ask individuals who know you well—and who can speak to your strengths—to write recommendations or endorsements for you on LinkedIn.
Leverage LinkedIn as a Powerful Tool in Your Management Job Search
LinkedIn is a great way to network with other professionals and research/find job postings, and while that is certainly true, LinkedIn can also be an incredibly powerful took in your job search (here are statistics to review). In fact, LinkedIn is one of the best places to find management jobs that aren’t publicly advertised! Here’s how to maximize LinkedIn in your search.
- Use LinkedIn’s “Advanced Search” feature to target companies that are a good fit for your skills and experience. Then, take a look at the employees of those companies to see if you have any connections. If you do, reach out and ask for an informational interview. These interviews are a great way to learn more about a company and potentially get your foot in the door.
- Check the “Jobs” section of the site regularly.
- Follow Companies you’re interested in and see if they post any news or updates about open positions.
- Increase your visibility by engaging (like, comment, share) and your credibility by crafting strong, original thought leadership content that you can share with your connections.
By taking advantage of all that LinkedIn has to offer, you can support your management-level job search in a number of ways—from expanding your professional network to increasing your visibility among recruiters who are searching for candidates with specific skills and experience. So, log in or create/ or update your LI profile today and get started!
If you’re unsure of how to write a branded, engaging, and value-based LinkedIn profile, let’s chat!
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