If you’ve been job searching for a while, chances are you’ve encountered the saying, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” This old saying has become increasingly accurate in the last few years. Based on a LinkedIn poll back in 2016, nearly 85% of positions are filled through networking and referrals.
But, what does that mean for you? It means you need to network on LinkedIn. It’s an invaluable resource for demonstrating your capabilities, experience and leveraging your network to continue your career growth. Being active on LinkedIn shows potential employers that you are interested in the industry and exposes you to opportunities you may have been unaware of through your search.
Quality connections over quantity
While the first thought may be to connect with people you know or start blindly requesting connections with hiring managers, there’s a better approach to the process. The number of connections can be important, sure, but the quality of those connections will yield better results in the long term. It’s important to connect and engage with those connections consistently.
Instead of just scrolling through the feed, take the time to read the posts and comment with something thoughtful. A simple comment like, “Thanks for sharing. How has this impacted your career with {insert company}?” can have a significant impact on your search. That comment is displayed to your network and their network. If the conversation continues then you’ve established rapport and credibility.
Spending even 5-10 minutes commenting on connections posts or articles within your industry can pay dividends for your job search.
Your action for today
Make a list of the top five jobs you want and connect with someone who works there.
You should find someone in a similar position or department that you are applying for and request to connect with them.
Personalize the connection request to focus on them, the company they work for and ask if would be open to providing some feedback on the job and company
Bonus Task – Comment something thoughtful on 5 posts that you read each day this week. Target posts or articles that are from companies that you are interested in or within the industry that you are in.
If this is new for you, it will be uncomfortable in the beginning. There’s a good chance some will ignore you. But, most people prefer to talk about their role and employer over receiving generic recruiter pitches in their LinkedIn inbox.
