By Reese Anderson
You’ve made a LinkedIn account but don’t know where to start or how to grow it. Here’s a breakdown of how to use the five tabs to their full potential. Get your profile off the ground or expand its effectiveness.
1. Home
LinkedIn serves as a networking app, but content equates connections in importance.
You can use content to promote your brand and to keep up on stories and trends from around various industries. LinkedIn acts almost as a social media in this way, but be wary. All of your posts, comments, likes, and shares can be seen by employers, so keep them professional. Follow industries, companies, people, jobs, etc. that interest you. This way, you can keep up on job postings and learn more about companies you’ll be applying to. You can also keep up with your network of people through their posts and job announcements.
2. My Network
Connections. You need them, but who? And how many?
LinkedIn offers suggestions based on mutual connections within your network, but don’t limit yourself to the recommended connects. Sync LinkedIn with your contacts to see who else you may know. When you follow companies, look to see if any of their employees on LinkedIn attended your school or promote any shared interests. Don’t just connect with your friends, either. Connect with professors, classmates, and even people working for your desired company. Use LinkedIn not just as a way to keep up with people but to meet people. This leads to the next tip.
3. Messaging
Don’t be creepy.
However, if you meet someone for the first time and decide to connect, reach out to them. If you had a good conversation, jog their memory and ask to keep in contact. LinkedIn DM’s won’t get you a job, but they can serve as a way to make connections with people in the industry. Unlike other social media, you don’t even have to know them to connect. At the end of the day, you want to build relationships with people, and messages can help spark those relationships.
4. Notifications
Notifications may be the most underused tab of the five, but they can provide access to helpful insight.
See who’s viewed your profile and who’s engaged with your content. See job recommendations. Receive daily news digests. Keep up to snuff with all of your connections’ updates, birthdays, work anniversaries, and even your connections’ appearances in the news. Filter your notifications, so that you can
5. Jobs
Here’s where you get the bang for your figurative buck.
When it comes time to seek out and apply for jobs, your labor on the other four tabs can reap the reward on the fifth. When companies post openings, LinkedIn can feed you job recommendations based off your connections, location, school, or past jobs. Plus, for each job posting LinkedIn provides access to alumni working at the companies and the timing of their specific application process. Put in work on your connections and interests, and you’ll be swimming in recommendations.