When searching for a job, creating and fostering a LinkedIn presence is a great way to stand out to potential employers. Created in 2003 and boasting over 750 million members today, LinkedIn is a social media platform with a professional focus. LinkedIn members use the platform to grow and maintain their professional network, search and apply for jobs, stay up to date with industry trends and attract employers.
Building a presence on LinkedIn is quite simple, but it's important to understand the best ways to stand out. We're here to walk you through the best practices when setting up an account, building a network and making the most of LinkedIn's social network before, during and after your job search. Military Veteran Pipeline allows employers to easily search for you, but we do see the benefit of using both MVP and LinkedIn to secure your next job.
Creating a Profile
Setting up a clear, professional and targeted profile is the most important step in succeeding on LinkedIn and is also one of the first things you should do. Think of your LinkedIn profile as an online resume. The content and visuals on your profile will define the impression you make on the hiring manager who views your page.
Selecting a Photo: It's important to choose professional profile and banner photos for your new LinkedIn page. Your profile photo is the first thing LinkedIn users will see when searching or connecting with you, which is why it should be a clear, well-framed photo of your face. Other users will see the banner photo when they visit your page and it can be a great opportunity to showcase your interests or work experience. Examples of a LinkedIn banner photo include a photo of the state or city you would like to work in, a personal logo, a quote you pull professional inspiration from or a photo of you in your element on the job.
The About Section: When filling out the About section, be sure to use short and concise language. Before writing, take a moment to consider what you would say to a potential employer if you were only given one sentence to describe yourself. The About section could include a few adjectives conveying your work ethic, the type of new job you're searching for and your current or previous titles.
A good formula to use is [current or former military title] seeking work in [fill in industry]. It's also helpful to add small, important details such as years of experience, specific skills or anything else you'd want a potential employer to know right off the bat. Don't worry if you feel you can't get everything across in the About section, you'll be able to include detailed descriptions in the Experience section. Read MVP Highlights: Filling out your Profile for more information on writing detailed summaries and About sections.
Professional Background: Once you have a snappy and concise About section, it's time to move on to the rest of your profile sections. This is where you can go into detail about your previous experiences, technical skills and education. Think of the Experience section as your LinkedIn resume. Be specific regarding previous titles you held, how long you held them, a summary of the experience and your responsibilities and specific soft and hard skills you learned. The same goes for the Education section. Thoroughly filling in both of these sections is the easiest way to connect with others who have held similar titles or attended the same schools as you.
Once your profile is filled out, you're ready to start connecting!
Pro tip: Maximize your professionalism by customizing your LinkedIn URL. Upon making your account, you will be assigned a random URL with a cadence of numbers. You can change this URL to your first and last name by clicking the "Me" icon, selecting "View Profile" and clicking "Edit Public Profile & URL."
Building Your Network
With your profile in great shape, it's time to grow your LinkedIn network. You can see and interact with your LinkedIn network by selecting the "My Network" tab at the top of your screen. Start off by finding your phone contact list on LinkedIn using the "Contacts" tab. Once you have a few connections, the algorithm can begin recommending people you may know based on your experience, location or other connections. You can also build your network by following pages of companies, educational facilities or organizations that match your interests or past experiences. This will get you closer to your target audience of relevant employers! Send a friend request whenever you come across someone you know, because you never know who they'll connect you to.
Pro tip: If you meet someone in real life you'd like to connect with on LinkedIn, send a personalized message with your connection request! Include the context of how you met and a general greeting. This is an easy way to continue building on a meaningful in-person experience.
Using LinkedIn to Find Work
Now that you have a great profile and a growing network, you have all the tools you need to apply to jobs! There are several ways you can use LinkedIn as a tool to find work.
Applying Through LinkedIn: LinkedIn's database is a powerful tool for a job seeker. From the "Jobs" tab, you can search for job opportunities by skill, job title, company or location. Monitoring these search results is the best way to find new opportunities or track open positions at companies of interest. Many job openings even offer an "Easy Apply" option, so you can use the information on your LinkedIn profile to apply with the click of a button.
Connecting With the Right People: Another approach is sending connection requests to people with similar interests or leaders in the industry you're trying to find work in. Connecting with industry leaders and employees at companies you're interested in working for opens up a direct line of communication and allows you to monitor important information they may post about the job search.
Personal Referrals: Getting a personal referral goes a long way in landing a job and LinkedIn is a great place to source one. If you are targeting a specific company, use their page to determine if any of your LinkedIn connections (or connections of your connections) work there. If you know them, send a professional message letting them know you're interested in applying and see if they have any information on open positions. If you don't know them, feel free to send a message introducing yourself and ask if they have time to jump on an informational call. This way, you can get to know them on a personal level, ask important questions about the company and gather invaluable information before applying and hopefully getting a job interview.
We hope you'll use this guide to set up a LinkedIn profile and use it to make connections, keep in touch with colleagues and find meaningful work!
In addition to using LinkedIn, have an employer look for you by creating a profile on the MVP platform today. Our adaptive software creates easy keyword searches so employers can quickly find the exact candidates they are looking to hire. No more applying endlessly to job postings and hoping that someone will reach out.
You don’t look for a job here, the job looks for you!