Classifieds in the digital age

How LinkedIn can level up your job hunt

Linkedin by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free.org

More years ago than I would like to say, I walked into a store in a mall and handed them my resume. This bold move led me to my first proper “grown-up” type job. Sure, I had baby sat, done seasonal work wrapping Christmas presents for an outerwear company, counted laps for racers at a go-kart track, and even dressed up as a clown and spun a sign at the grand opening of a store (let us never speak of the clown gig again please!). However, I got all those short-term jobs through word-of-mouth between family and friends.

Once I graduated from high school, I needed to find something more stable. Back then, it was common for job seekers to walk into a place of business, engage with the staff directly, and drop off a resume in hopes of a follow-up. The initiative was generally appreciated, and many people reading will recognize doing this themselves. Fast forward some years, and I am looking to apply for a job again, but I am told I must create a cover letter. What sorcery is this?! I remember grumbling about it, but I had to adapt to the new way of doing things to move my career ahead.

Things have changed a lot in the job search over the years, but the truth remains that you either adapt or miss out on opportunities. Those who change with the times tend to have the most success.

This article is to help those of you job searching or just maintaining your current employment with some advice about LinkedIn. Plenty of people would prefer not to bother with it, but it is the direction things have gone in, just like the transition to cover letters before it.

LinkedIn is a big deal. Worldwide, it has over 1 billion users. In Canada, there are over 27 million users. Considering that our country's entire population is just over 40 million puts things into perspective. Also, considering that many organizations check people’s LinkedIn profiles as a human resources policy, you can see why paying attention to this particular social media might be a good idea.

Currently, I teach a monthly workshop for newcomers about how to create and maintain their LinkedIn accounts. To do this, I meet with employers from Edmonton, across Alberta, and a few across Canada to get their input on what they want to see on people’s profiles:

When you apply for a job, companies will review resumes and shortlist a few of their preferred candidates. Then, their LinkedIn accounts are often looked at for a few important reasons.

One example is to check if your job dates and companies match what is on your resume. If not, they may wonder if your application errors were purposeful untruths or lack of attention to detail. Neither will sit well with an employer.

Another reason is to ensure you are a good culture fit. While your resume and cover letter must be tailored to the specific job you are applying for, LinkedIn contains much more about you. Employers don’t just want to find someone with the training and experience to do a job — they want to find someone who will fit with their already established employees. Your profile should have elements that speak to who you are so they can see if you are a good fit.

LinkedIn is not only a job search tool. Many people will create an account when looking for a job and then abandon it for years until it is time to look for work again. Since anyone looking at your profile can see when you last were active, following organizations in or connected to your industry will give you more things to interact with. Reading and reacting to posts and articles shows your credibility in the field and will help you stay informed. A question that can be asked in interviews is, “What do you think is one of the biggest challenges in our industry/work right now?” By keeping your knowledge current through relevant articles and posts on LinkedIn, you would be in a better position to answer that question.

Finally, and most importantly for community-minded people in Edmonton, is using LinkedIn to show off your volunteering experience. Whether you’ve volunteered for a neighbourhood festival, delivered community flyers, or supervised recess at your child’s school, LinkedIn’s own statistics show that profiles that list volunteer experience get six times more views than those that don’t.

Volunteering allows you to show a broader range of transferable skills. To be a successful volunteer, you need to be reliable, punctual, organized, able to take directions, and have clear communication skills — all desirable qualities in the workplace. Also, it’s a great way to gain references especially if you don’t have an extensive work history.

I encourage everyone in the working world, no matter the type of work you are in or are looking for, to consider having a LinkedIn account and managing it properly to reap the benefits. I can’t promise it will guarantee a job, but a good profile certainly can increase your chances.