We know that many Australians and New Zealanders, as well as many people across the globe, have been put in an unexpected and very challenging position by losing their employment in wake of COVID-19. While our economy is effectively on hold, there are some organisations who are still actively recruiting to handle the growing demand that the pandemic has placed on their businesses. At AC3, we have a full service talent management team, so I wanted to use our experience to put together some simple tips for navigating the world of LinkedIn that might help you connect with your future employer.
Use the ‘open to opportunities’ setting
LinkedIn has the functionality to set your profile to ‘open to opportunities’. Recruiters often use this filter when seeking candidates. Add a list of ideal roles that you have the right experience for. Be specific and add as many as appropriate. Some common examples in the IT industry are: project manager, business analyst, software engineer or developer, network engineer, or solution architect etc...
Use keywords
Make sure your LinkedIn biography is up to date, reads well, and covers your key skills. Apart from being your digital first impression, having a top quality bio will also assist in the searchability of your profile. Consider keywords and phrases that relate to your position such as ‘end-to-end’ or ‘managing difficult stakeholders’. You should also list any technologies that you are an expert in. Be specific as recruiters search for these words/technologies. Examples include AWS, Azure, DevOps, Jenkins, React, Angular, Pega etc.
Contact information
Sometimes recruiters prefer to have a quick conversation with someone to see if they are suitable for a role. When trying to help a client fill an urgent role, sometimes those candidates that provide a contact number get the first preference. Make sure your direct contact number is visible on your profile, complete with the full dialling code for your state and country.
Yes, we still want your resume!
LinkedIn is a great tool for us to get the highlights of your careers history and skill set, but a resume provides deeper detail and also gives you the opportunity to showcase more of your skills. In addition, many employers simply don’t accept a link to a LinkedIn profile as an application. Make sure you attach a resume to your LinkedIn profile – and include your email address. Finally, ensuring that it is up to date is essential! That recent project or skill you just mastered could give you the slight edge you need over other candidates.
Connect, connect, connect
Connect with as many recruiters as possible, relating to your area of expertise and location. This sends the signal that you are looking for your next opportunity, and puts you on the radar of recruiters that may not have found you otherwise. It’s important to note that most recruiters tend to specialise in either a specific industry, such as banking or finance or a specific technology area, such as cloud, cyber security, software development etc. Choose a recruiter that matches your skill set.
I hope this helps job seekers out there to find their next opportunity. If you’re a candidate reading this and would like some help finding your next role, please reach out to either me directly on LinkedIn or complete the form below and the team at AC3 will do our best to connect you with your next potential employer. Stay safe and healthy everyone.