More Reasons Why LinkedIn Is So Important for Job Seekers

Anyone who talks to me about job search strategy knows how much I evangelize LinkedIn. Here are even more reasons why LinkedIn should be a part of everyone’s job search – even for passive searchers.

You can put your job history out there without worrying your current employer.

Upload your resume on a job board and you risk your boss – or your company’s recruiter – seeing you tell the world you are available. Upload your resume on LinkedIn and you can invite your boss as a connection. “No worries boss," you can say, "I’m inviting everyone I work with to be a connection.” LinkedIn has over 60 million members. Joining LinkedIn shows you are a great networker and relationship builder. Posting your resume on a job board shows you are looking for another position.

LinkedIn is free for recruiters.

Job boards charge thousands per recruiter, per year, to have access to the resume search feature. LinkedIn searches are free. For companies seeking to cut costs - everyone - it is an easy decision. Nearly every recruiter I talk to puts LinkedIn high on their list of talent sources.

LinkedIn is a handy corporate employee directory.

The company search feature lets job seekers see helpful information about thousands of companies. Thinking of working at Amazon, Expedia or Microsoft? A company search will tell you if you have first or second degree contacts who are current or past employees. You can learn which professional associations people in your dream job belong to and where they volunteer.

Agency and corporate recruiters flock to LinkedIn.

More than 500,000 recruiting and HR staff are on LinkedIn and they are easy to find. Conduct a people search with the name of the company and the word recruiter for a list of gatekeepers.

LinkedIn has become a social reference check.

Nearly half of all employers run Internet searches on applicants. LinkedIn results are nearly always on the first page of the search result. Because profiles on LinkedIn include recommendations, links to blogs and Twitter accounts, and group memberships, they provide a multifaceted way of researching candidates. It is important that your LinkedIn profile matches your resume, and vice versa, to avoid disqualification based on discrepancies.

Recruiters assess the profiles of people in sales, marketing and PR roles at an even higher standard. If you are in sales, but not on LinkedIn or your profile is not complete, the message is that you do not “get” social media or you do not know how to market yourself.

What do you love about LinkedIn?