How to get the most out of LinkedIn

by Talentese Team 06/07/2018

Is LinkedIn really a “Holy Grail” tool that can help you literally with anything – from becoming a well-known expert in your field to getting an exclusive job offer you won’t find anywhere else? Let’s learn what you really can achieve with the help of this platform and how to get the most out of LinkedIn in our interview with public accounting recruiter and LinkedIn expert Adam Karpiak.

What are the things that you may and may not realistically achieve in LinkedIn? Should you aim for getting a real job offer there or it should be mostly used just for networking?

You can totally get a real job offer. But that should be a result of networking, engaging and relationship building. The job offer should be organic and down the line…a result of the relationship that had been built. If you go into it looking for a job, that’s a high standard to achieve. If your main goal is to find a job and quick, you want to be found by a recruiter. Recruiters look. So if you want a job, you want to be found. That’s where the profile is important. The profile does the networking for you, if that makes sense.

What are the things that matter the most in your profile?

The headline is key. It cant be too cutesy. You still want people to know what you actually do. ESP if you want to be recruited. Once someone commented on one of my posts “I don’t understand, not once did a recruiter reach out to me.” That person’s headline was: Human. So I told them, the headline was probably why. They blocked me. Recruiters don’t search for “human.” It’s all about keywords. So for networking, you want people to know who you are and why they should network with you. The headline and summary are they keys for that.

What are the main wrong stereotypes about using LinkedIn?

First, that you *have* to create content. You don’t. You can engage, you can like, you can comment, but you don’t have to post, you don’t have to write articles, and you certainly don’t have to make videos. Will it help you network to create content? Maybe. If your content is good. Otherwise it can work against you.

Are there any ethic rules for networking in LinkedIn?

Some people think that invites must have a personalized greeting. I don’t. I base it on the profile and potential for future networking. But a note helps me understand the person’s mindset and/or intentions (this works both positively and negatively). On an invite, don’t put the sell of your services in the invite. That’s just bad business…you get a decline and the conversation is over. Also, more and more people don’t like being asked for a call 5 seconds upon accepting an invite. Ease into the relationship building. Think of it as cooking with an oven, but some people want to put the relationship in a microwave. It might be quicker, but it isn’t as good quality.

How should you grow your list of connections in a smart way as a job seeker?

People in your industry. People in the industry you want to be in. Potential peers. Future hiring managers/bosses/HR. Target where you want to be and start to build your network towards that. Think long term, not immediate.

What are the main mistakes job seekers make in LinkedIn?

Asking any recruiter to help. Focus on the right geographic location, the right industry. People just send their resume to anyone. Your resume is your currency. You don’t just give it away. And bad recruiters just send the resume around. If you see a job you are interested in, like on a post, don’t just put “interested.” Don’t just say “look at my profile.” Don’t be lazy about it. Look at the job, see if you are interested, write a note WHY you are qualified and interested. Put the effort in to do things right. Also, if you put in your headline or summary “available for work” odds are you will only be contacted for temp or contract work. If you want a perm job, don’t do that.

how to get the most out of linkedin

How personal your LinkedIn behaviour should be? What is possible to write/share in other social networks would be a no-go in LinkedIn?

People like to know who they are networking with. But no politics and nothing unethical. Nothing sexual, but other than that, relationship-building requires actually knowing the person.

There’s a strong belief that posting your own content/articles in LinkedIn may help you a lot – how can an average job seeker benefit from it?

You want to be seen as an expert. Regardless of industry, you want to be known as an authority of information. Content is a way to do that. Being known for something is important. But that can work both ways. If your information is incorrect, or not great quality, that can hurt you.

First impression matters – what are the main things a recruiter should see in your profile immediately?

What you do, what you’ve accomplished, how you accomplished and what you want to accomplish in the future. The summary is the best place for that, and then the experience section should match your resume, including bullets of experience. That way people understand what you have accomplished and where, as opposed to a confusing keyword match.

What are the main networking tips you can give to anyone at the beginning of his career path?