LinkedIn has become an increasingly popular platform for job seekers, but especially for employers. It’s a slightly different social network that gives employers a comprehensive overview of your career. Thankfully, Facebook and Instagram have taken a back seat when it comes to stalking job candidates, but we still advise caution – some pictures aren’t meant for a potential employer.
LinkedIn, on the other hand, has become the most important social network for the world of work. If you’re applying for a job, it’s a good idea to add a LinkedIn profile to your CV as it can complement your application. However, a LinkedIn profile should be up-to-date and appealing to employers, so they don’t think you’re still in high school when you already have a few years of work experience. It’s an interesting fact that more and more employers are actively looking for their future employees on LinkedIn. This is exactly why you can start working on your profile while you’re still a student. Who knows – you might get your next internship or student job this way.
LinkedIn ≠ CV
LinkedIn is a lot like a CV, and it can sometimes be confusing what to use for what. Even some job ads offer the option of loading LinkedIn profiles instead of CVs. With one click, then, all the problems with submitting CVs are over. However, LinkedIn and CVs have different purposes. As you can read in our blog about writing a CV, you tailor your CV to the job you’re applying for. Also, a CV should be concise and clear, without unnecessary information and experience that’s less relevant to a particular employer. On the other hand, LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to add all the information about your experience and education that doesn’t fit on one page of your CV and that you want to make visible to everyone who comes to your profile.
So what’s LinkedIn for then?
The biggest advantage of LinkedIn is that you have (almost) limitless space to write about all the great things you’ve done in your past, your skills, and achievements. Why not use this extra space?
By adding a LinkedIn profile to your CV, you’re giving employers more information about you than can be found on your CV. The good news is that LinkedIn can save you the trouble of putting together a CV on just one page, because with an up-to-date LinkedIn profile, employers shouldn’t miss anything. Give a comprehensive overview of your professional qualifications in your profile. It’s very likely that employers will Google your name precisely to find your LinkedIn profile. This time, you’re in control of what they see first.
Large database of job opportunities
Not only can you use your profile in your CV to better present yourself to employers, but LinkedIn also contains an excellent database of job postings. Most companies have moved to LinkedIn, and this can become one of the platforms for finding the ideal job (besides the FER Career Center page, of course). LinkedIn also offers the possibility to be notified by email about the jobs that interest you and in the place where you want to work, which makes the job search much easier.
Networking with the business community
Another reason to create a LinkedIn profile is that it’s a great way to network with people in the profession and businesses that interest you. Companies and individuals share interesting articles from their business world. By responding to others’ posts and sharing content that’s interesting to you, you increase the visibility of your profile, develop a personal brand, and connect with important people. You can also contact a company or person at any time and ask for more information about a specific job ad or their position. Having a LinkedIn profile also gives you the opportunity to look at companies and people that interest you and learn more about their career path.
It’s never too early or too late to create a LinkedIn profile. Now that you know what it’s for and what are the benefits, it’s time to start using LinkedIn. If you need help writing parts of your LinkedIn profile, feel free to make an appointment for a consultation. We’ll be happy to give you feedback on your profile.
