Reader question from the mailbag:
Question: What is a good way to let people on LinkedIn know that you are actively looking despite the fact that you have a job?
Answer: Great question! LinkedIn has become kind of the public résumé database. How do you let the world know that you're open and receptive to recruiter inquiries? Let me put a twist on your question, though. Try to think about it this way: "How can I make sure recruiters find me on LinkedIn?" Here are a few ideas:
- Update your LinkedIn profile to look like a résumé. I don't necessarily mean that you include an objective. However, think of your résumé as a marketing document - its primary goal is to sell you as a candidate. You can transfer a great portion of the data from your résumé to your LinkedIn profile. Fill in your jobs beyond just your job title - What responsibilities did you hold? How many people have you supervised? What quantifiable accomplishments have you accomplished? Don't be modest - include all of these (but be truthful). The more information your profile contains, the more recruiters will see it when they search for candidates.
- Upgrade your LinkedIn subscription. LinkedIn offers Premium memberships. You're paying for increased visibility of your profile through better promotion as a featured applicant, you can see who's looked at your profile (so you can contact them back to express your interest in their company - a-ha!), and you'll get a few InMails, which enable you to reach people who aren't your direct contacts.
- Become an Open Networker. This means you accept all invites. Accepting more invitations expands your network. An expanded network means you'll show up in more searches.
- Be Proactive. Look at what companies of interest are posting scads of jobs. Identify the recruiter at the company. Send them a note to express your interest, along with your résumé.
Good luck!
Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. He is a Human Resources professional and staffing expert with almost two decades of in-house corporate HR and staffing firm experience, and is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC).
Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and career coaching services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.
