Is LinkedIn any good for getting a job?
That thing that we all hate– it might actually be a good thing.
By Jacquie Liversidge
Short answer—it depends.
Long and winding answer—yes; all opportunities to bolster your online appearance in the inevitable google search by your prospective employer are very welcome indeed.
What LinkedIn offers:
Most people I speak to hate LinkedIn. It’s a pain.
But the great thing about LinkedIn from the perspective of employers is the consistency.
Employers don’t need to pore over a range of different resumes and sift through rafts of information uniquely laid out; they need only to glance over the sections and skills, your pictures and your posts to piece together a picture of who you are as a potential candidate.
Outside of what you have to offer employers who are actively accessing your page, connecting with local recruitment agencies and regularly checking post boards can expose you to opportunities that your potential rivals are not accessing.
LinkedIn isn’t really a massively big deal yet, but it will be.
“LinkedIn removes the individual decisions from resumes and lays the content out in a consistent way for the employer. “
Why?
One word: automation. SEEK, Indeed and other job websites which have sped up the process for candidates to apply for roles, have simultaneously damaged the chances of the candidates.
… What?!
Seems weird, right!? Due to the subsequent increase in online applications for advertised roles, employers have less time to spend assessing your application material.
LinkedIn removes the individual decisions from resumes and lays the content out in a consistent way for the employer.
Can you get work off LinkedIn?
YES. Employers and recruiters will reach out to you if your LinkedIn is up to date, your skills are properly fleshed out and if it looks like you’ve been active.
LinkedIn is good because:
- It saves employer’s time
- It is a career hub. If you look really close, there’s actually some really useful content shared out there
- You get to see what some of the best in the biz have done with their LinkedIn (check out Richard Branson’s LinkedIn for a chuckle)
- It gives you control over what appears in an online search of your name
- You can connect with other professionals in your industry
So, what should I do now?
Create a Linkedin. Keep it neat and up to date. Keep it safe and politically correct, connect with people from local industries and start getting engaged with local and wider-industry opportunities.
Check out some local recruitment agencies, and start connecting with other professionals in your field.
Hate LinkedIn? You’re not alone– but it can’t hurt your chances and it can only help.
Happy hunting!
