How to use LinkedIn for YOUR career

Photo by Marc Kleen on Unsplash

Do you have a LinkedIn strategy?

Don’t let LinkedIn marketing overwhelm you. It’s easy to navigate when you know how.

I give all my clients a LinkedIn strategy – something they can work on without me.

Mine is to show up daily to share something helpful or start a conversation about careers, recruitment, work or life. 

My strategy is simple and yours can be too.

A simple strategy:

1. Set your intention and create a plan around it

2. Update your profile and align it to your goals

3. Get involved (posting, engaging, networking, connecting)

If you’re actively looking for your next job:

• Update your LinkedIn profile

• Optimise it by thinking like a recruiter* 

• Connect, reconnect and network on LinkedIn

• Get in touch with recruiters  

*Recruiters use LinkedIn to find potential candidates using keyword searches including job functions, job titles, companies, sectors and location. 

If you’re in the growth phase and building your profile:

• Update your LinkedIn profile

• Create and share content around your expertise and goals

• Engage and network publicly with like-minded people

• Demonstrate your expertise, share your opinions, and give advice if asked

Networking:

LinkedIn is a social platform, designed for connecting and networking. As well as public networking on the newsfeed you can use your DMs for private conversations.

Keep it simple:

• Get very clear on your intention and focus on one thing – for example, your focus could be to find a job, build your profile and personal brand, or grow a new network. All of that could happen organically but choose one and go for it!

• You can change your focus and re-write your profile whenever you like but try not to chop and change. Give your strategy enough time to work

• Think of LinkedIn as the shop window to your career – do you want your profile to be like a ‘we sell everything’ hardware store or the very best specialist store?

• You don’t need a creator or premium account

• Make a commitment to connecting and engaging with others

• How can you make it enjoyable and fun too?

• Avoid the moaners!

More LinkedIn reading:

LinkedIn is where headhunters hunt for talent and hiring managers always check out your profile. All roads from Google lead to LinkedIn but I’m not convinced the current version works for career professionals and job seekers.

How LinkedIn loses job seekers

Here’s a guest blog post I wrote for Edit Her about personal brands.

How to build your personal brand on LinkedIn

If you’re job-seeking or want to get headhunted LinkedIn is the go-to site. But simply having a profile isn’t enough.

LinkedIn micro-tips for your career

Whether you’re a consultant or on the corporate ladder – I can’t think of a reason for not using LinkedIn as a channel to market and promote your expertise and brand.

How to get visible on LinkedIn and why you need to

ABOUT ME

I’m Tracy, Career Consultant, and Executive Headhunter and I help senior executives and leaders land great jobs and be successful at work through 1:1 coaching. I work with clients around the world from my London-based Zoom office. If you’re ready for help and career guidance get in touch – let's start the conversation.

And don’t forget to sign up to The Insider – behind the scenes of your executive career for my 'insider' tips and inspiration delivered straight to your inbox.