Is Having a LinkedIn Account Essential for Finding a Job?

LinkedIn is a popular networking site for working professionals. Found at LinkedIn.com, the site makes it easy to create a profile, link to others you have worked with in the past, and more. The goal is to create a professional network that you can use to make additional contacts, through the networks of people in your own network.

Job searching is one of the most prevalent uses of LinkedIn. Job seekers can post a personal profile and work history, identify opportunities, and conduct intelligence gathering on potential companies and hiring managers.

LinkedIn makes it easy to create a personal profile. In fact, it is so easy that there is one new person joining approximately every second. If you are new to LinkedIn, or if you just have some default info and settings, take the time to create a professional profile. It’s just like spending time to work on your resume; it will be worth the time spent. You never know when a potential employer is going to view your profile, so make sure your information is accurate, updated, and consistent with your resume and the story you tell in an interview.

If there are specific companies or areas of work you are looking to get into, you can search for them on LinkedIn. You can see if there are people in your network, or the networks of your connections, that can make introductions, answer questions about the company, and identify whether or not companies are hiring in your area of interest.

When you are further down the job-hunting road, and have an interview scheduled, look up the interviewer(s) and hiring manager on LinkedIn to find out more about them. This may give you an opportunity to open a conversation about a common interest or a connection you have in common. The more you know about the people you will interview and work with, before going in to an interview, the better.

You can also request reviews of your work from people you have worked with at past jobs. This is the electronic version of references. LinkedIn gives you an opportunity to present them to potential hiring managers before they ask for them.

LinkedIn has recently passed over the 100 million users mark. It is the most popular and most successful networking website available, and is a fantastic tool for job seekers. Is it essential to finding a job? No. Will it give you an advantage in networking and intelligence gathering? Definitely.

354 total views, 1 today