How to Use It to Build Your Career

LinkedIn is a professional social media site that has been around since 2003, if you can believe it. Having been around for this long, you would think it would be common knowledge on how to use it effectively, but honestly, making the most of a LinkedIn profile is hard. Using it effectively to grow your career and your network is hard. Unfortunately, for most, it’s necessary, and it’s important to have a presence on the site. 

Why is LinkedIn so great?

It allows you to connect with coworkers as you move through your career. I know how hard it is to stay connected with friends when you leave one workplace for another. I moved from Denver, Colorado, to St. Louis, Missouri, and landed in my current location, Iowa City, IA. There is a lot of distance between where I’ve been, and having to leave for your spouse’s job means you sometimes leave great jobs. I love getting updates on what everyone is up to these days. Plus you also never know when you are looking for new opportunities what these connections can do for you. 

LinkedIn isn’t your usual social media site, to be successful on this platform you have to be professional. Think of it as a living resume.

Most recruiters use LinkedIn to find new talent. Your profile can be as comprehensive or as basic as you like, but having it is important. Without it, you’ll never even show up on some recruiters’ radars. 

It can even help you rank on Google! Seriously. 

You can use it to build your professional brand. Your LinkedIn profile is a great way to showcase your skills, experience, and accomplishments. By creating a well-written and polished profile, you can make a positive impression on others in your field and future employers. 

It helps you stay updated on industry news. Follow some of the big companies in your field and/or companies you hope to work for one day. I also recommend creating a job alert for your dream job and for jobs at your company. It’s an easy way to get notifications of new opportunities even if you aren’t planning on leaving your company or position. You would be surprised what you can learn just from these alerts. 

Speaking about internal job opportunities, your company doesn’t always notify you if a new job that fits your interests is available, so you have to keep up to date. 

Finally, LinkedIn is one of the best networking tools, especially if you are introverted.

That all being said, there are some downsides to LinkedIn

Cost

It’s expensive for companies to use for recruiting. Really expensive. This means not every job will be posted there. Smaller companies might be unable to share their open positions or afford their recruiters to have the super fancy recruiting package plus (I don’t know what it’s called). 

Because not every company uses LinkedIn, you should diversify your job search options. While LinkedIn is great for networking, general job searching should be done on multiple platforms. Some great alternatives are Indeed.com or ZipRecruter.com. You will learn quickly what platforms will have the most opportunities for your field and where to focus as you use them. 

Perception

It’s hard to get a real picture of what working at companies are like. Like all over social media sites, people like to glamorize their life. They want everyone to think they are successful, and the same with companies. If this is your need, look at sides like Glassdoor.com and if your company is more tech-focused, fishbowlapp.com 

Whether you’ve been using the platform for a while or are just starting, here are a few ways to improve your professional online presence: 

1. Use a professional profile picture. While a profile picture is not required, it can help boost your profile. Make sure the photo you use looks like who you are, and you don’t want a super filtered distorted view. 
2. Dress in a way you would want potential recruiters to see you. AKA, do not wear swimsuits unless you are a literal swimsuit designer, and even then, probably not. 
3. Take the time to get a great picture. Don’t just take it in front of a blank wall; head to your backyard and find some good lighting. You have lots of great options. Alternately, don’t go overboard and go somewhere that would distract you from being the focus of the picture, like taking pictures with a fancy car.
4. Have a complete profile and keep things up to date. Include your education, skills, and accomplishments. 
5. You need to use keywords even if you don’t know what SEO is. Ensure you include things people will be searching for you want to be associated with. 

By following these tips, you can use LinkedIn to your advantage and boost your chances of success in your career! If you’re not using LinkedIn, I encourage you to create an account today. LinkedIn is a powerful tool to help you build your brand and advance your career. Go find me! I’ll be your first connection.