During my first months of using LinkedIn back in 2007, it often seemed like I was trying to make my voice heard above others with MUCH bigger microphones!
Related: 5 Mistakes That Are Killing Your LinkedIn Profile
When you’re not visible, you’re not seeing much in the way of new connections and engagement from others. At the same time, you’re trying to build out your network (tip: minimum 100 direct connections, shoot for 501+ as ultimate goal), so that you can place yourself in a position to vet a steady stream of opportunities arising within your tribe.
Here Are 5 Of The Most Effective Things You Can Do To Get Noticed On LinkedIn:
1. Create A LinkedIn Group That Caters To Your Target Audience.
For example, if you’re an expert at promoting and marketing startups, why not create a Start-up Marketing Q&A Group or similar, and regularly check in to pose and answer questions, share content, and generally establish yourself as a “go to” in the field? You can then cross-promote your answers across your other social media channels.
2. Master Status Updates With This Strategy.
At least 20 updates per month to maximize reach. According to LinkedIn, you will reach approximately 60% or more of your unique audience each month by hitting this baseline. You can use a service like Buffer to schedule posts in advance (a godsend).
The most visible post 3-4 times per day.
Content-wise, mix it up, track the results, and then go heavy on the one or two types that deliver the most results. Ideas: industry news, job-related tips/hacks/editorial, asking questions, sharing quotes (easy and always appreciated!), participating in LinkedIn Group discussions, sharing updates on what your network’s up to.
3. Visit And Join Open Networking Groups (Top LinkedIn, LION, And So On).
Also run searches for “LinkedIn super-connectors”: connecting with just a few of them will increase your network by leaps and bounds!
4. Endorse At Least 15 Network Members Weekly For Their Top Skill Sets.
People like to feel valued. They like to feel that someone took a moment to vouch for them. And most importantly, they like to return the favor. Expect a rise in endorsements for your top skills as well, which improves visibility.
5. LinkedIn Summary=Elevator Pitch.
Directly address your audience. Are you generating sales leads? Looking to secure media/PR opportunities? Do you need an executive recruiter on the West Coast? Tailor it towards the people who can help you most. Bullet points work, passion and being genuine works, and the MOST VISIBLE frame their story in a way that directly relates to what they do. Offer a CLEAR PATH to engage (email, phone, website).
One last tip: the more frequently you engage across multiple areas (ex. status updates + networking groups + endorsements), the more of a “ripple effect” in terms of your overall visibility. Get into the habit of scheduling LinkedIn engagement into your workday (mornings are the best time in terms of site activity) to see fast results.
This post was originally published at an earlier date.Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.