Wondering why people use LinkedIn? We explain its key benefits.
Don’t have a LinkedIn profile and not sure what all the hype is about?
You're not alone.
Many of our clients hear about the importance of having a LinkedIn presence from their colleagues or recruiters but don't quite understand how it works or why it's so important.
In this article, we'll explain six key reasons you should consider joining LinkedIn.
Having a LinkedIn profile isn't by any means a requirement to have a successful career or land a job!
However, it can give you a considerable advantage.
1) Help Recruiters Find You
Both internal recruiters and headhunters who search for candidates on behalf of companies spend time researching candidates on LinkedIn.
Whether you are actively looking for a new role or open to learning about new opportunities, you'll benefit from having a LinkedIn presence.
When recruiters review resumes and find a candidate who might be a good fit, they often go straight to LinkedIn to learn more.
Even if you decide you don’t want to be active on the platform daily, your profile will allow recruiters to confirm the information you have on your resume and simply "put a face to the name."
In addition, many headhunters use LinkedIn to search for and contact candidates who suit the profile of the role they are looking for.
If you have a complete profile that is well optimized, you might find that recruiters reach out to you directly to ask about your interest in roles they are hiring for with a message such as the following.
Many of these roles can be confidential and not advertised publicly - especially at the senior level.
Just by having a profile, you could realistically end up with a new job without ever submitting an application!
2) Find and Apply for New Roles
LinkedIn serves as a powerful job search portal.
LinkedIn's job search functionality is similar to that of Google Jobs, Indeed, or ZipRecruiter, which you may have used in the past.
When companies post their opportunities online, they usually get sent to all of the major job boards.
With LinkedIn, you'll get the added benefits of saving custom filters and applying to jobs with just one click:
Find New Roles Using Targeted Filters
LinkedIn allows you to apply highly-targeted filters that narrow down your results to jobs that you would actually consider.
You can save these filters when you create job alerts as well!
When you set up a job alert, you'll receive a notification every time a job that matches your criteria is posted, ensuring you don't miss your chance to secure a perfect opportunity.
If you have spent time scrolling through hundreds of job postings with few relevant results, you might be pleasantly surprised.
Quickly Apply for Roles Using EasyApply
Your LinkedIn profile doubles as an online resume, so to speak.
As a result, you'll be able to quickly submit your profile and attach a copy of your resume to apply for jobs using LinkedIn's EasyApply button (shown below).
While not all companies utilize the EasyApply functionality (for some roles, you'll be redirected to the application on the company's website), it can be a massive time-saver.
3) Network with Colleagues and Recruiters
At its core, LinkedIn is a professional social network, allowing you to maintain relationships with existing connections and further expand your network.
Message Your Connections
You'll be able to send messages to your connections and comment on their posts.
Doing so is a great way to stay in touch with former classmates and colleagues or open the door to new business opportunities.
It's worth noting that most people don't use LinkedIn until they need a new role, at which point they will reappear and start desperately searching.
You want to avoid such a scenario.
Instead, leverage LinkedIn to stay top-of-mind.
By staying consistently connected (even if it's just wishing someone a happy birthday), you'll come off as more engaged and sincere (read: less desperate) when it comes time to ask your network for a favor.
Message People Outside Your Network
LinkedIn's InMail feature also allows you to message people outside of your network, including recruiters.
Not many candidates will take the initiative to figure out who the hiring manager is and send a message to reiterate their interest in a role.
By being proactive and strategic, you can differentiate yourself and make sure your application doesn’t get lost in the stack.
4) Build Your Personal Brand
Sharing content on LinkedIn is an excellent way to increase your reach - whether you are looking to build credibility within your niche or drive new business.
Because LinkedIn is a content-deficient platform, you'll have plenty of opportunity to share your expertise and build a following.
By sharing interesting articles or posts describing the type of work you're doing, for example, you'll help increase your profile's visibility.
Recruiters also love to see applicants who are active on the platform, as it demonstrates your passion for your role and your industry in general.
5) Promote Your Business or Freelance Services
LinkedIn provides a plethora of tools to help you to promote your business or services that you offer on a freelance basis.
Many entrepreneurs use LinkedIn as a way to find clients by showcasing that they are "open for business":
You can also create a company page, which enables you to share company updates with its followers:
LinkedIn has started to develop a suite of tools and resources for small businesses as well.
Those in sales positions at larger companies can use LinkedIn's Sales Navigator to help with lead generation.
Large organizations also encourage their employees to post company updates on the platform, serving as an organic source of PR.
6) Stay Current on Industry News
When you start following the pages of major companies, industry publications, and news outlets, you’ll curate your feed to become a relevant, one-stop news source.
Depending on your industry, you may choose to follow pages such as SHRM, The Wall Street Journal, Hotel News Now, or Harvard Business Review, as shown below.
Then, when you see an interesting article come up on your feed, you can easily comment on it and share it with your network as well!
In Summary
Given that LinkedIn is free to use and can benefit your career, we recommend creating a profile if you don't already have one.
How much you end up using LinkedIn is up to you, but nowadays recruiters expect candidates to have an up-to-date, professional profile.
Need help crafting your LinkedIn profile? Check out our LinkedIn writing service!
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.