Much has been written about the power of LinkedIn as a job search tool, but how exactly does it work?  Is there really a way to leverage your profile to find that perfect position?  The answer is yes!

In the June issue of In Sight, a publication of the Oregon Attorney Assistance Program, Heidi Strauch tells us how in 10 easy steps:

1. Get ready (this entails getting a professional headshot and polishing your resume language).
2. Decide whether to pay for a premium account.  (Upgrading allows you to contact anyone directly through LinkedIn InMail, among other benefits.  Three paid account levels are offered:  Business, Business Plus, and Executive.)
3. Create your profile.
4. Choose your profile settings.
5. Use the public profile function.
6. Make connections. (Networking and connecting is what LinkedIn is all about.)
7. Use third-party applications to link to your Twitter account, blog, or articles written by you and posted on a document sharing site.
8. Request recommendations.
9. Join groups.
10. Actively use LinkedIn in your job search.

Step 10 is the key and here is Heidi’s advice:

• Research  potential  employers  and  sources  for informational interviews and referrals: If you identify a potential employer, use the search function on LinkedIn to find out whether he or she is a member. If so, review the profile to find out the person’s back­ground and interests and, most importantly, whether you have any connections in common. If so, approach your  connection to make  an introduction for you.
• Ask for introductions from your LinkedIn network: This  is one  of the most useful functions of LinkedIn. In the local  business or legal community, the chances are good  that you can link  to most other people  in two or three steps.  As you  build your  online  network, you will  be able  to connect with people  who are resources for your  job search.
• Publicize  your   Public   Profile:  Use  your   Public Profile  URL in your e-mail signature. Put the  URL on your  business card.  (You  can  get business cards free from Vistaprint.)
• Keep  an  eye  on  your  connections: Who  are  they linking  with?  Do you know their  new  links  enough  to invite them to link with you? What groups are they joining? Are they of interest to you? If your connections are potential employers or know potential employers, can you provide  value  to them in a way that enhances their impression of you (e.g. , through group  discussions)?
• Keep  an  eye  on  your  groups:  Follow  the  discussions.   Contribute to  a discussion if  you  have  something  valuable to say. Start a discussion that  would  be of interest to the group.
• Update  your status if you are involved in something interesting: But don’t let the status go stale.  If it’s been up for  a few  days  without change, it’s  better to  clear out the status and have  it say nothing than  to allow  it to sit unchanged.
• If you  have  a  Web  site,   add  a LinkedIn  widget: This  allows people who visit your  Web site  to know that you’re on LinkedIn and to easily move to your LinkedIn profile. Many  people  use LinkedIn as a re­search tool,  and this will  help  them  to know  who you may  know  in common  and  what  your interests are.

Great advice Heidi!  Read the complete article here.

Learn more about the power of LinkedIn from our Networking and Career Building seminar.  Feel free to connect to me on LinkedIn, I’d love to connect.

Copyright 2011 Beverly Michaelis