You Don't Need to Spend Hours on LinkedIn to Reap Its Benefits
Overwhelmed by social media?
Us too.
We're already dealing with constant push notifications and infinite scrolling on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter alone.
It's no surprise that LinkedIn often ends up on the back burner.
Most of our clients already have a profile but rarely use it - unless it’s time to start looking for a job.
As with any social media platform, you’ll have the most influence and reap greater benefits for your career if you stay consistently engaged on LinkedIn.
You don't need to spend hours on the platform either!
With just ten to fifteen minutes a day, you'll be able to accomplish more than most.
Here are five tips you can quickly implement to make sure that you’re capturing as much value from LinkedIn as possible.
1. Make Sure Your Profile Has All-Star Status
LinkedIn calculates profile strength.
The stronger your profile, the more likely you are to appear in recruiter searches.
According to LinkedIn, small upgrades can reap huge benefits:
- Members with a profile photo receive up to 21x more profile views and 9x more connection requests
- Members with current positions are discovered up to 16x more in recruiter searches
- Members with more than 5 skills are 27x more likely to be discovered in searches by recruiters
- Including the city where you are based makes you stand out up to 23x in searches
If you complete the steps above and include a summary, you’ll hit All-Star status.
Getting to All-Star status takes half an hour, but it’s an investment that can reap great returns if you put in the effort.
2. Expand Your LinkedIn Network
LinkedIn is a social media platform, so in the end, it’s all about connection.
Generally speaking, you want to add as many connections as possible.
By adding more connections, you'll be able to increase your overall reach (or profile visibility) when you post content or comment on others' posts.
When more people see your profile, you'll increase the odds that an opportunity may come your way.
That's true whether you're looking to network, find a new job, or increase sales for your company.
First, start by adding your friends and co-workers.
Then, once you have a solid base, you’ll be able to reach out to people you don’t know but would like to learn more about or meet in person.
Whenever you send connections to people you don’t know, make sure to include a personal message instead of the generic pre-written text LinkedIn provides!
It’ll make the recipient a lot more receptive to your invitation.
3. Engage With Your Network
If one of your connections recently got promoted or celebrated a birthday, send them a message!
It’s a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with old friends, classmates, or colleagues.
As we mentioned, make sure to add a personal touch when doing so, as most people simply don’t bother.
You should also comment or like their posts to increase your visibility.
4. Post Industry Updates
If you follow relevant companies and groups, you’ll see content they post in your feed.
Did you come across any interesting industry or work-related articles recently?
If so, share them!
Sharing articles is an easy way to keep your profile active and appear engaged with minimal effort on your end.
5. Let Recruiters Know You’re Open To New Opportunities
Optimizing your profile settings can help you land a new position without even having to search for it yourself.
If you’re looking for new roles, adjust this setting in your dashboard to let recruiters know you're open to new opportunities.
You can specify what types of roles you are interested in and your preferred locations.
When you do, recruiters may reach out to you directly with roles you would be a good fit for!
In Summary
We’re not telling to check LinkedIn as often as you check Facebook or Instagram (we’re all about digital minimalism).
Even ten minutes once a week will put you ahead of the pack if you simply:
- Add a few new contacts
- Repost an interesting article related to your industry
- Congratulate one or two individuals on their recent promotions or send birthday wishes
- Like or comment on a connection's post
- Request or give a recommendation
Given that so much of recruitment today takes place online, building your presence on LinkedIn can be beneficial.
However, it's a process that you'll need to approach slowly, step-by-step.
By being patient and consistent, you'll ensure that you have a strong network of contacts and recruiters to leverage when the time comes!
About Resume Pilots
Resume Pilots is an award-winning executive resume writing firm and a proud member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. Our previous clients include CEOs and senior executives at the world's leading companies.
As a professional services firm, we take your reputation seriously. We are committed to delivering writing excellence and superior service while operating with integrity and discretion. Recruitment firms we partner with also trust us to consistently deliver quality documents for their clients.
Our writers have studied in the Ivy League and other top-tier universities and have strong writing backgrounds coupled with industry experience.
Here's how we can help you:
Resume, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn Writing Services: If you are looking for end-to-end support, hire one of our professional resume writers to rewrite your documents from the ground up.
Executive Resume Template Downloads: If you plan to prepare your own resume, consider using one of our classic, ATS-friendly resume templates for Microsoft Word.
To learn more about our services, book an introductory call with our founder here or email team@resumepilots.com.
About the AuthorMatt Glodz
Matt Glodz is the Founder and Managing Partner of Resume Pilots and a Certified Professional Resume Writer.
After studying business communication at Cornell University, Matt worked within Fortune 500 companies, where he noted that qualified candidates were frequently denied interview opportunities due to poorly written documents.
At Resume Pilots, Matt combines his business and writing background - which includes prior work for a Chicago Tribune publication - to craft resumes that give his clients the best chance of landing interviews. He works with clients ranging from CEOs to recent graduates and has been writing resumes for over 10 years.
He has been quoted on numerous business and career-related topics in outlets including Business Insider, CNBC, Fortune, Glassdoor, The Ladders, and Thrive Global.