When writing about the social media job search, it’s impossible not to address LinkedIn. In fact, over the last several years, I’ve amassed quite a number of LinkedIn articles for job seekers. Here’s a list of my most popular.

This is a great way to get started!

3 Secrets to Getting Recruiters to Find You on LinkedIn

If you’re looking for a job, and you are reasonably smart, then there are recruiters out there who would benefit from talking to you. I’m guessing from my own experience, that they simply can’t find you. Or if they do find you, something about your LinkedIn profile turns them away.

In either case, you have more control over this situation than you think. Getting found by recruiters doesn’t have to be a passive strategy. Here is a two-part active strategy for getting found. Read the rest…

4-Part Strategy: How to Use LinkedIn to Get the Job You Want

If you’re like me, you don’t feel satisfied sitting around with a pretty LinkedIn profile waiting for recruiters to email you out of the blue. (Although it’s nice, it’s simply not a strategy.)

Warning: Before you start reaching out to potential new employers on LinkedIn, your profile needs to look perfect. Your profile is your first impression.

If you’re stuck on this part, I suggest investing in a professional LinkedIn profile writer to get it done for you. That way you can focus on relationship-building, rather than profile writing. Read the rest…

Part 1: Why You Should Use LinkedIn — Like Your Career Depends on It

Three years ago only about 46% of recruiters had actually hired through LinkedIn. Today, 70% of recruiters have hired over the same network. Yet for many job seekers, LinkedIn remains background noise, something to deal with every couple of weeks or so, if at all. They approach LinkedIn like its homework, and it’s a HUGE mistake. How do I know this?

It happened to me when I was looking for work. During my time at Cisco, I received calls from competitors almost weekly. Then, after getting laid off for the second time in 2009, I continued to rely on LinkedIn to land job interviews. Here’s what I learned. Read the rest…

4 Steps When Contacting A Stranger On LinkedIn

I received an info interview request from a stranger as a direct message on LinkedIn. Despite my very busy schedule, I decided to take his call. Over the weekend, I asked myself, “Why did I agree?”

Let’s take his email apart and put it into four essential elements so you can use them in your own LinkedIn networking communications. Networking with strangers on LinkedIn can give you great results if you’re deliberate in the process. Read the rest…

3 Warning Signals Your LinkedIn Profile Needs Help!

For job seekers, missing something small could mean missed opportunities or, worse, getting blacklisted. And, to help you determine if you are missing that LinkedIn lint brick—the obvious thing you can’t see—here are three objective tests you can run. Read the rest…

How to Find a Job With LinkedIn’s New Search Feature

In 2012 there were 5.7 billion professionally-oriented searches on LinkedIn. That’s a ton.

Since it’s such a popular feature, LinkedIn users demanded a better search experience. Luckily, LinkedIn’s software development team listened and launched an enhanced version of their search technology. (It happened on March 25. Did you notice?)

The good news is this new search makes it easier for recruiters to find you but ONLY if you’ve written your profile correctly. Here are three ways to leverage LinkedIn’s new search approach. Follow these steps and you’ll improve your profile and as a result your job search. Read the rest…

3 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Advance Your Career Change

LinkedIn is one of the most powerful tools to help you redefine yourself and move your career in a new direction. Taking your career in a new direction is a bold move that requires framing your proven skills for a whole new purpose. Identify your transferable skills, and then consider the following three ideas for using LinkedIn to advance your career change. Read the rest…

Follow These 3 LinkedIn Tips if You Recently Changed Careers

As a job seeker in 2013, if you have LinkedIn, you’re lucky.

Ten years ago when I changed careers and left the solar industry, I didn’t have LinkedIn as a personal branding tool. Nowadays, many job seekers have the same issue because they don’t know how to properly use LinkedIn to their advantage. Well, good thing you’re reading this article.

Here are three ways to tweak your LinkedIn profile so you can better communicate what you WANT to be doing so you move away from what you USED to be doing. Read the rest…

3 Easy Steps to Finding a Job With LinkedIn’s New Contact App

I receive a fair amount of requests for LinkedIn recommendations, and I usually oblige without hesitation. However, a recent e-mail from an old colleague made me realize there are plenty of “networkers” out there who just don’t get it.

If only this “dear friend” of mine knew about the new LinkedIn Contact product. Had he known, he may have received more than a laugh from me. He may have actually gotten his recommendation. All LinkedIn users need to follow these three tips to stay current and ask for help more skillfully. Read the rest…

Watch Joshua Waldman’s exclusive video “3 Secrets to Getting Job Interviews by Next Week” to learn the 3 secrets no one wants you to know about getting hired in today’s job market. Joshua is the founder of Career Enlightenment which offers professional LinkedIn profile writing and job search services to colleges, WorkForce offices, and re-entering veterans.