How to Get a Job Using LinkedIn

1. Tell people about yourself. Create a meaty profile for recruiters and hiring managers to see all about your professional life. Keep a great employment history with lots of description. Be sure to include a link to your LinkedIn profile page on your resume

2. Get 360° recommendations. Typically employers check references (usually your old boss) before hiring someone new. With LinkedIn, they can see all the great things people have to say about you beforehand and they can come from all around you – bosses, clients, colleagues, and the people you manage.

3. Learn about your hiring manager. Do reverse checks on your hiring manager by looking at their profile. You might find something great to talk about, such as you both went to cooking school before going into IT.

4. Get the job search word out. People can’t help you find a job if they don’t know you are looking. Send messages to your connections that you are looking for a job (privately if you don’t want your current boss to know). Refine your job search through your connections; you never know where a click-through will lead you.

5. Find job listings. Use the “Jobs” section to find job listings according to industry, city, or function. Utilize “JobsInsider” to get the latest listings from other job search sites and upload your resume.

6. Showcase your skill set. Respond to questions in the “Answers” section to demonstrate your expertise and involvement in industry issues. Keep active in industry discussion groups to share thoughts and ideas (and get noticed).

Adapted from How to Succeed in Business Using LinkedIn: Making Connections and Capturing Opportunities on the World’s #1 Business Networking Site by Eric Butow and Kathleen Taylor (AMACOM 2008).