How to Use LinkedIn in Your Job Search

These tips are for anyone new to LinkedIn or just a little rusty. Maybe you’re looking for your first job, you’ve been with one company your whole career, or it’s been 5–10 years since you last searched. 

I am telling you, LinkedIn is a goldmine! Yes, it’s still social media, and there can be a lot of clutter. But it’s a great tool to use for a job search, and you can work your algorithm as you do on other channels to see the content that you want. LinkedIn members can be very helpful and offer lots of free advice.

I’ll start with the basics of setting up and maximizing your profile. Then I will share my tips on how I used LinkedIn to network and apply to jobs. 

Why Use LinkedIn for Your Job Search?

Let’s be real, if you’re job searching and not using LinkedIn, you’re leaving opportunities on the table. This platform isn’t just an online resume; it’s a networking powerhouse and a very supportive community that connects you with opportunities, recruiters, industry insiders, and lots of cool people!

Here’s why LinkedIn should be part of your job search strategy:

• It’s free. No excuses. There’s a website and an app, so you can job hunt from anywhere. You don’t have to go premium!

• It’s a social media network and a job board.  Millions of professionals share advice, inspiration, and job leads every single day. Tons of jobs are posted every day.

• It’s packed with job search tools. From job alerts to networking features, it’s designed to help you get hired.

If you’ve just created your profile and are waiting for recruiters to find you, you have a little more work to do. Here’s how to actually use LinkedIn to land your next job.

Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

Before you start networking or applying for jobs, make sure your profile is working for you, not against you. If you are starting from scratch and need help creating a profile, check out this post I wrote to help high school students with tips for LinkedIn. If you already have a profile, but need some tips to spiff it up, here you go:

• Headline: Highlight your expertise and value. There are a few different ways you can handle your headline.

  • Phrases: Strategic Marketing Leader | Hands-On Execution | Change Agent | Servant Leader

  • Sentence about the value you bring: Strategic marketing leader who drives growth through hands-on execution, change leadership, and a servant leadership approach

  • Combo: Strategic Marketing Leader | Helping Brands Turn Data into Growth

  • Note: If you don’t set your own headline, LinkedIn will default to your current title.

• About Section: Tell a compelling story about your skills, impact, and what makes you unique or sets you apart from people with similar backgrounds. I use a section from my resume that is a qualification summary. I’ve seen some people write more of a narrative.  I think both work. Figure out what works best for your personal brand and voice.

• Profile Picture: I think it is ok to use an image taken with a mobile phone. Of course, if you want to spend the money on a professional headshot, that also works. And now there are AI tools you can use to convert a recent image to a more professional look

• Your Banner: Your banner is prime real estate to show some personality. LinkedIn offers a selection of free images from landscapes and abstract designs.  Canva has templates you can use, too. Please choose something and replace the boring green default image!

• Experience: I recommend you copy and paste most of your resume bullet points for each job. This gives your profile more keywords so you at least have a chance to come up in search results when recruiters use LinkedIn to search for candidates. It’s also helpful to have more details here when you start networking. 

There is a lot of conflicting advice out there when it comes to your LinkedIn profile.  Many people only show their company and title, and not the details about each job. Lots of people never add a banner or write their own headlines. In my opinion, I don’t think those people are taking full advantage of what LinkedIn has to offer!

Think of LinkedIn as a search engine. The more information you show in your profile, the better chance you have of showing up when recruiters are searching for candidates

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Use Job Descriptions to Update Your Resume and Profile

Want to make sure your resume and LinkedIn profile match what recruiters are looking for? Here’s a simple trick:

• Look up a current job posting for a role or job title like yours and the jobs you want. 

• Use a tool like ChatGPT to compare your resume and job description and make suggestions for edits to your resume.

• Identify the most important keywords and skills.

• Update your LinkedIn profile and resume to reflect these suggestions.

ChatGPT and other AI tools like Gemini, Claude, or Perplexity can be a huge support with writing, updating, or tailoring your resume for each job post. And using LinkedIn to research job descriptions will help you understand what skills employers are looking for. 

Update Your Privacy Settings

LinkedIn has a setting that will update your network when you start making changes to your profile. It’s critical to update your privacy settings, especially if you are starting a job search while employed. I advise you to keep your search private. 

Here are the steps to update this setting on the desktop version of LinkedIn: 

• Click on the “triangle” underneath your profile image in the top right corner of the navigation bar

• Click on “Settings & Privacy”

• Click on “Visibility” in the left-hand navigation

• Scroll down to “Visibility of your LinkedIn activity”

• Click on “Share job changes, education changes, and work anniversaries from profile”

• Toggle this off

Grow Your Network & Engage with the Platform

A strong profile means nothing if no one sees it. LinkedIn isn’t just about listing your experience; it’s about engaging with others and being visible.

• Connect. Start with people you know. If you are a student, connect with other students, teachers, coaches, or even friends of your parents or guardians. If you are already in the workforce, send connection requests to past co-workers, supervisors, and bosses.  

  • If you are starting a job search while you are employed, it may be tricky to start connecting with your current boss and coworkers. You don’t want to tip them off that you are looking for a new job. 

• Engage.  If you are a LinkedIn beginner, try just scrolling and observing what people post. As you feel more comfortable and confident, try liking posts or commenting. The algorithm will start to learn from your engagement and show you more related content. People share a ton of great tips to help you with your job search.

• Share. An easy way to get started is to share someone else’s post, then try sharing a post with your own comments. Or share a link to an interesting article you have found related to your field. 

Explore the Job Search Features

LinkedIn has some fantastic job search tools, but you have to use them strategically. First, you need to figure out what you want in your next job. I have another detailed post to help you out so you can be purposeful with your search. 

• Set up job alerts to get notified about new job postings. These are typically based on a job title, location, and remote/hybrid/onsite. You can also set up alerts based on company name.

• Use the "Open to Work" feature wisely. You can make it visible only to recruiters (behind the scenes), so your current employer doesn’t see it. If you’ve been laid off and are searching openly, you can add the green “Open to Work” banner to your public profile. 

• Follow target companies and engage with their content. Sometimes jobs aren’t posted publicly, but you can still get on a recruiter’s radar and connect with them.

• “Save” posts that offer job search tips so you can refer to them later.

Download the App

Once you start your job search, it’s important to stay connected, and the app makes this super easy.  

• Save jobs to research later. Use the app to scroll through your search results, scan the jobs, and save the ones that sound good. Research them later on your laptop or desktop. 

• Allow notifications. These will alert you to network updates, when you receive direct messages, if someone comments on your own posts, and much more. 

• Respond to direct messages. When you start requesting networking meetings and asking for help via LinkedIn, you will want to respond quickly. The app makes this very easy. 

Learn How to Network to Uncover the Hidden Job Market

Networking is key. It’s not just going to be attending networking events with a bunch of strangers. Networking can also be handled one-on-one via in-person coffee chats or online by Zoom calls, Google Meets, etc.  

I have an entire post with the details on how to network one person at a time to uncover jobs that are not posted on LinkedIn, Indeed, etc.  Here are some basics. 

Start with your “friendlies.” The first people to ask for help are your friends, family, and past coworkers. This conversation will be easier because you already know them, but it’s a great way to practice for future networking conversations. 

• You can reach out via phone, text, email, or use the LinkedIn direct messaging feature. 

• Be clear on what kind of job you are looking for so can give them specific details.

• Research them on LinkedIn. Check out their profile, posts, jobs, etc. 

• Research their LinkedIn connections to see who you might want to meet.

• Prepare your answer to “Tell me about yourself” so you can practice.

• Prepare a list of questions to ask them.

• Ask them to introduce you to one or two people in their network who work in your target companies, who are well-connected, or who work in the industry or job you are looking for.  

  
  

Perfect Your Follow-up

Send. The. Thank You. Email. Every time. I’m a broken record on this, but it matters. A quick text is fine for friends, but when someone takes time out of their day to help you, a thoughtful thank-you email is the way to go. I am amazed at how many job seekers I meet who never follow up with me or thank me!

It’s not just about good manners; it’s also your chance to jog their memory about any introductions they offered and to restate who you are and what you’re looking for.

Here’s a simple template you can steal:

Hi [Name],

Thanks so much for meeting with me today! I really appreciated your insights, especially your advice on [specific topic].

If you’re able to connect me with [name(s)], that would be wonderful. I’ve included a short blurb you can copy and paste to make it easy.

Thanks again!

Keep it short, kind, and easy for them to act on. People are busy, and a little nudge helps them follow through.

And don’t forget when you land that shiny new job, circle back! Share the good news and thank them again. Relationships don’t stop at “send.” Networking continues after you have a job. Stay in touch and nurture the relationship. Offer to pay it forward if they ever need help or if they want to refer someone to you.

Be Picky When You Apply For Jobs

Don’t be fooled into thinking the more jobs you apply to, the better your chances.

The “Easy Apply” button makes it really easy for anyone and everyone to apply to tons of jobs.  This gives hiring managers and recruiters hundreds of resumes to weed through. The system is broken. 

My suggestion is to be intentional with each job you apply for. I go into much more detail in this post “10 Tips to Be Pickier When You Apply for Jobs Online.”  

Here is my recommended approach:

• Be very specific with what you want in your next job. 

• Only apply to the jobs that you are super excited about AND where you are an excellent fit. 

• Tailor your resume to each job post. AI tools really help here. 

• Spend more time networking to uncover the hidden job market.

LinkedIn is a Great Tool, But It’s Not the Only Tool

I hope you can tell I am a big fan of LinkedIn and also networking.  I believe a successful job search will occur both on and offline. 

LinkedIn plays its part, but don’t forget to check out other job boards like Indeed, Zip Recruiter, Glassdoor, etc. In my last job search, I found that some jobs were not listed across all platforms, so it’s important to be familiar with a few of them.  

There are other niche job boards and resources you might find helpful, like:

• Idealist.org for non-profit

• Mediabistro for creatives

• OutAndEqual.org is a great resource for LGBTQ and Workplace Inclusion

LinkedIn can feel overwhelming at first, but once you get comfortable, it becomes an incredible tool to drive your job search. Start small. Update your profile, connect with a few people, and engage with content that inspires you. Over time, these small steps add up to a powerful network that can open doors you never knew existed.

Remember: your next opportunity might not just be posted online, it might be shared, liked, or messaged to you by someone you’ve connected with.

Good luck!