Q: Will having a LinkedIn profile improve my chances of getting a job?
A: Over 95% of recruiters and hiring managers use LinkedIn to source and connect with top talent. And with a network of over 500 million users, LinkedIn is the leading online professional networking resource and a standard across all industries for building a strong digital presence.
LinkedIn provides unmatched access to millions of employers and job postings.
There are over 26 million companies and more than 15 million ACTIVE job listings on LinkedIn. In addition to being a platform for connecting with your peers, LinkedIn offers access to premium and exclusive job postings that may not be listed elsewhere, as well as millions of more opportunities posted by top employers on a daily basis. In order to apply to jobs through LinkedIn’s job board, you need to be a registered member with an active profile.
LinkedIn keeps you connected through millions of industry-specific groups.
From mid-life career changers to wellness entrepreneurs in New York, and digital design professionals in Minnesota, one of the greatest features LinkedIn boasts is it’s highly targeted niche groups, designed to connect professionals within various fields and specializations.
While some require membership approval by their moderators, many groups are open to the public, the LinkedIn groups are resources to tap into, as some of the larger groups offer instant access to and opportunities to share content and ideas with thousands of your peers.
It’s an easy way to increase your visibility and forge connections with potential influencers who can help you tap into job opportunities. And over 80% of LinkedIn users belong to at least 1 group.
LinkedIn makes you more visible to recruiters and hiring managers.
LinkedIn uses a performance metric called the Social Selling Index (SSI) score, which rates a candidate’s profile quality based on four key pillars. These pillars take into consideration such information such as profile completeness, relevance and acceptance rate of your connection requests, what kind of content you’re contributing/posting, and your level of activity and engagement with others.
A “complete” and quality profile includes all of the key sections – a profile photo, headline, summary or short bio, experience and education sections, and relevant entries and endorsements in your Skills section. The more complete your profile, the greater your chances of appearing in relevant search queries for candidates with your background and skill set.
Even if you’re not actively looking for jobs, having a polished, professional LinkedIn profile will help you build your network, tap into new opportunities, and maintain an active presence among professionals in your field. It will immediately increase your visibility to hiring managers and recruiters, while also positively impacting your Google results, and strengthening the overall credibility of your personal brand.
Need help crafting an impactful LinkedIn profile and digital brand presence? See our complete guide to creating your LinkedIn profile to learn more. Or contact us to customize your job search efforts.