Apply via LinkedIn

Social media channels are great for keeping abreast of the latest news from interesting organizations and reaching out to them. However, social media can make or break you. For this, you need to know well how to proceed per channel when it comes to applying for jobs.

Apply via LinkedIn

On LinkedIn, instead of "friends" on Facebook, for example, you can make connections. The reason you invite someone to make a connection is also often different from adding a friend. LinkedIn is a business network and is also set up this way. This way, by making connections, you can create a network around you and grow it. Anyone you think could help you in your career, you can invite as a connection. Colleagues, fellow students, as well as friends and family. Even if someone works in a completely different industry, this connection could still be valuable in the future.

You can also ask people for a recommendation. This will then appear on your profile. Do this preferably if your contact is recent, and the person still has a good memory of working with you. Conversely, you can also write a review for someone else. Here you demonstrate your work experience in a more personal way.

Connections and groups

When you find an organization interesting and would like to make contact, you can use LinkedIn to look for people who work at this company. This is a lot easier if a person already in your network has a connection to such a person. That first-degree connection might even be able to put in a good word for you with that connection! At this point, though, it's important that your profile is up to date. If someone from the company looks for you, they should be able to get the best possible picture of your experience and skills.

Becoming more active on LinkedIn yourself is also a good idea if you are looking for a job. You can join groups that talk about topics that you find interesting or know a lot about. This way you can also get in touch with interesting people and organizations that might be able to help you find a job again.

Do's and don'ts

Do's:

  • Keeping your profile up to date.
  • Before approaching an organization, see if any employees of that company are in your network.
  • Joining groups and participating in conversations.
  • When approaching individuals, choose a tone that suits the company you would like to work for.

Dont's 

  • Never put information on your profile that is not accurate. This is easy to find out.
  • When someone does you a favor, thank them for it and indicate that you will also help this person when needed.

Do you think you could still use help applying for a job using social media such as LinkedIn? At Outplacement op Maat you can learn.