From seeking new jobs to growing your network and establishing your own brand, LinkedIn is an important and useful tool in your professional career.
LinkedIn is the largest online professional network in the world with over 200 million members located across the globe. In fact, it is even older than the likes of Facebook and Twitter. With a massive number of professionals on the network, it only means greater networking and job opportunities.
As a job seeker, LinkedIn can not only help you apply for a job but also have several potential employers reach out to you directly without you even sending an application. Hence why LinkedIn is sometimes believed to be of use only for those looking for a new job. However, the platform has been shown to also benefit freelancers looking to establish their client base and business owners in promoting their business and establishing their brand.
Here are 7 reasons why you need to be on LinkedIn -
1. Job Board.
The job board is the most important reason to use LinkedIn if you are a job-seeker or if you're looking to switch jobs or careers. You can search for jobs by keyword and location and apply to several jobs on the network. You also have an option to let recruiters know you are open to hearing about new opportunities without notifying the connections at your current company.
2. Networking.
Send connection requests to your friends, past colleagues and anyone whom you may know. Build your network of connections using LinkedIn Groups as well. There are plenty of groups on LinkedIn and they provide a great way to network and be seen by the people you want to reach. Research and find groups relevant to your interests, network with people within the group and contribute towards helping others as well.
3. Get noticed.
Hiring Managers and recruiters are on LinkedIn and they will always have a look at your LinkedIn Profile when you apply for a job, even if you've applied for it elsewhere. Send a personalized message to recruiters by adopting an enthusiastic tone. You can describe how you could add value to the company by highlighting your skills and how they match the job requirements. It is not only job seekers that are sought after on LinkedIn, freelancers and other business owners are also being searched for, so as to establish a business relationship.
4. Do your research.
Companies have their own LinkedIn pages where they share company news, update company information and showcase their current employees. This allows you to research on your target companies and other companies in your relevant target industry. Get a good feel for the company culture and its people to make sure it is the right fit for you.
5. Build your brand.
LinkedIn allows you to establish yourself as a brand. If you are a business owner, freelancer or even an employee, LinkedIn allows you to collect endorsements and recommendations which adds to your credibility. You can also post content like status updates, content that could be related to the industry, infographics, images, and videos, questions and even share humorous content. This increases your visibility.
6. Get ranked on Google.
When you apply for a job anywhere, it is highly likely that recruiters and employers will google your name. Your LinkedIn profile will most likely show up on the first pages besides a website or other social media accounts that you may have. Ranking on Google's first page is difficult but since LinkedIn is a well-known powerful network, it is easier to rank your profile on the first page than your website.
7. Publish blog posts.
LinkedIn has its very own publishing platform that allows you to publish blog posts and get your content read by thousands of members on the platform. Published posts will also appear on your profile boosting your credibility. This is a great tool to promote yourself, your brand, your knowledge, and your writings skills
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