While the well polished CV was once the tool to access opportunities in the jobs markets, recruiters are now seeking out talent online through browsing the pool of LinkedIn profiles. LinkedIn started out as a networking site but has since evolved and is used by recruiters to advertise positions. Suitable LinkedIn users receive notifications of these vacancies therefore exposing them to valuable career opportunities. Need more reasons to be on this professional networking site?

1 Be Found

LinkedIn is a great way to show your CV to potential employers. A well-crafted LinkedIn profile is far more powerful than a CV. Your LinkedIn profile allows you to paint a picture of yourself as a whole person, without the restrictions imposed by a CV.

Even if you’re not actively seeking a new job, just having an account could change your career! LinkedIn is a breeding ground for talent acquisition and head hunting. You may be using LinkedIn to network and unwittingly you could be putting yourself out there to be headhunted! A word of warning though, having an incomplete or unprofessional LinkedIn profile can actually have a negative effect if it lacks attention to detail or important information. So if you choose to set up a LinkedIn profile, make sure you complete it properly!

2 Share Content

LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to showcase your work. You can publish articles to grab attention from recruiters or leaders in your field. Regular publishing of quality articles gains notice from your network and gets people listening to you. This is a way of building your reputation and increasing opportunities in your career. If you are less inclined to produce your own work you can source and share articles of interest for your network. Posting relevant links and interesting updates to the LinkedIn newsfeed is a great way to engage your peers and increase the visibility of your LinkedIn profile.  

3 Opportunity to Network

LinkedIn is about building up connections and networking. Unlike other social media platforms, LinkedIn is focused on professionals and businesses. You can search LinkedIn to find people in your industry and build up relevant connections and follow influencers in your field. LinkedIn is a great site to keep in touch with past and present work colleagues and college alumni. It is a great way to see what your competitors are doing and to get ideas on what you could be doing to further your career. Networking can open all sorts of opportunities to help you to get ahead in your career.

4 Keeping Up To Date With Your Industry

LinkedIn is a great place to collect new ideas for your line of work and stay current with industry trends. LinkedIn automatically adds relevant articles to your newsfeed based on your industry and location. Contribute to conversations on LinkedIn; comment on other users’ posts and ask questions, post your own updates to get involved in the professional discussions. Reading articles and updates will keep you abreast of changes in your industry while making contributions to discussion will gain interest in your LinkedIn profile.

So what are you waiting for? Get your LinkedIn profile up and running, get connected and get your career moving in the right direction.

If you are searching for a job, check out the jobseekers page on CareersPortal for lots of advice and information.

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