I am a Millennial myself and I understood it early in my career that my dream job is just not going to happen like magic. Things have changed tremendously since we were raised by a generation of Baby Boomers. Credit it to the dominance of technology or the fast evolution, but ways to approach your career has changed too, like others things in life.
Gone are the days when just being the topper of a batch was a good enough reason to be hired for a job. The competition is tough today and more and more businesses are coming up every day. As a generation, Millennials make for the largest demographic population in the planet today.
This vast number can be equally good for marketers but equally scary for the ones fighting in the job market.
As the generation of Digital Natives, we are all affluent in making use of technology in every aspect of our lives. Be it as minor as ordering grocery or as big as making long-term financial decisions. But surprisingly, we are yet to harness the strength of all the available resources that could possibly solve our problems.
One such powerful tool that can help Millennials in their struggle for their dream job is, LinkedIn. It is still not being used for its full potential. If used to its maximum potential, LinkedIn can actually do wonders in your career.
Most colleagues or friends that I talk to refer to LinkedIn as a very awkward networking event on social media world. Statements like, “I have been there for a while now, but nothing good happens.” Or, “The people that are interested in me will find me anyways” are some to name a few excuses. It’s about time we make use of all available resources like LinkedIn and social media to maximize our success rates.
Here are some statistics that might answer your queries and convince you to make your LinkedIn game work.
- LinkedIn usage is prominent among the better learners and high earners. This is the kind of people who can influence decisions.
- The usage of LinkedIn is higher in the age group of 50-64 yrs. olds, compared to people of 18-29 yrs. of age. This is that experienced set of people who take major decisions in companies.
- 98% of recruiters and 85% of hiring managers look for ideal candidates on LinkedIn.
Here Are 5 Pointers On How To Market Yourself On LinkedIn:
1. Make sure that your LinkedIn profile is visually appealing and easy to find.
Your headline and your profile is the window to what lies behind it. This makes for the first impression and influences what professionals think of you. Having a well-shot headshot with a professional yet crisp headline helps.
Make the best use of the 120-character limit, by putting in the right data you want to portray. It can be tricky to fit in keywords and skills in such a limited space. Be sure to make the headline readable and include keywords used frequently in your industry. Feel free to include multiple jobs or skillsets. This can actually broaden your prospects and prove your versatility.
2. Be sure to include everything that you couldn’t put on your resume.
The search engine for LinkedIn has changed recently. You can ideally put more descriptive job descriptions under your job summary. Feel free to include all your skills and all the jobs you have done. As a millennial, our talent lies in multitasking and learning things simultaneously. Talk passionately about a project you took, the duration and the changes it brought.
Remember that you are trying to convince/seduce the person reading it, to hire you for your dream job. This makes it all the more important for you to put in your best feet forward and mention all your professional skill sets.
3. Networking is key.
More the number of people know you, more are your chances of being noticed by the right people. Make use of LinkedIn and alternatives to work on your networking strategies.
Look out for people in your industry who are in influential positions. Chances are they could become your career mentor and guide you through. Be sincere in your approach, people on professional websites notice every minute detail.
It’s wise to look out for alumni’s who are in the same industry as you. Starting networking with the right people that you know off line is a smart way of getting introduced to better professionals. Keep an eye for people who have been recently hired in the company you are interested in. They might not mind sharing their experiences with you.
4. Talk to professionals. There is no harm in asking.
Not everyone on LinkedIn is looking out for people to hire. But for those who are, it is visible on their profiles. Connect with them, ask for their requirements. This will help you to prepare strategically for that position. There can be professionals who might not hire you but still won’t mind sharing tips with you. But this will happen only when they know you are genuinely interested in the sector and seeking help.
Use LinkedIn’s advanced search option to do a search on your favorite companies and connect with them. Doing the right research about a person or company shows, when you interact with them. They see that you have done your homework and are genuinely interested in them.
5. Consider an internship.
Internships are actually underrated in our present work cultures. But Internships make for the best way of learning about a company without having to commit to them. There are chances the company you like is doing great numbers, but won’t suit your work ethics. In situations like these, it is best to have a clear idea if you can continue in the company before joining it. Not just that, internships will give you the right experience and skill set required for the job. You are more likely to get the job if you are already tuned into their culture.
Use your networking skills to look out for companies that are hiring interns. Some companies, have it on the pages, while in some others you might have to ask your connections to put you through.
No matter how well you fare through, stay humble. There is always scope for improvement, you should never stop learning in your life. Be it your personal life or your professional life, your learning curve should always be steep.
[Recommended reading: 10 Serious LinkedIn Mistakes You Should Avoid]
[Images – Main Image by Ana_J from Pixabay; Flickr, Image Catalog, Creative Commons CC0]
Mary Jones is the Co-founder & Editor-in-chief at TopMyGrades and focused on Content Marketing Strategy for many clients from Education industry in US, Canada & UK. Mary has worked closely with many e-learning solution providers such as Assignment Essay Help. Mary has intensive content editing experience and has worked with MSNBC, NewsCred & Scripted. Promoting affordable tutoring for all students through a new-age tutor-cum-student platform, where tutors can help students with their academic needs.