Are You Using LinkedIn Effectively?
My name is Martin Buckland. I am an executive career management practitioner. I manage and advance the careers of senior executives, those who aspire to be business leaders, and both graduates and candidates of executive MBA programs. And I’m considered to be a global expert in mining professionals. LinkedIn is a very important tool in your career management. Decision-makers, executive recruiters, HR professionals, and others can tell how you are using or whether you are using LinkedIn effectively.
The following is a list of how I can tell whether you’re using LinkedIn or not.
1. Your Connections.
It’s a networking tool to connect with people who can bring you value and quality. Don’t go and connect with everybody and anybody. However, if you only have 10, 20, or even 180 or 280 connections, you aren’t using LinkedIn to the full value you can get from it. You need to have a minimum of 500 connections. That’s what decision makers are looking for when they make a decision whether to call you for an interview or a screening you prior to an interview.
2. Join and Be Active in Groups.
Being passive on LinkedIn doesn’t help you. There is a group for everybody out and if there isn’t one for you, make one. Being involved in groups is one of the best ways to using LinkedIn effectively. Become a leader and create your own group in ones that relate to you and your business.
When you join the group, introduce yourself to that group. You have a wide audience that is waiting for you. Create an introduction in a Word document so you don’t have to type it out all the time and paste it into new groups you join. Tell the members of that group what you are looking for and a little bit about your career. Name brands in which you would like to generate leads or why you would like to work for certain brands. There might be someone in the group who works for a company such as PNG, Shell, or any other you want to join. LinkedIn provides you the opportunity to market yourself as an expert, as a leader in your particular field. Use it and share information about yourself or about your industry.
3. Have Text Under Each Job Title.
Make sure you have information under each job title listed on your LinkedIn profile. If I am a recruiter or an HR professional, I need to know what your experience is and that you’re not hiding anything by leaving out information.
Part of your job search plan should be target marketing. Select the top 35 or top 45 companies you want to work. You might like their products or their service offerings. Then follow those companies on LinkedIn. When the time comes and you want to go and work for them, find the person or boss and market yourself directly to him or her with a compelling message that you would like an informational interview.
Following these three tips will go a long way to help you in using LinkedIn effectively.
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