Unlocking the Power of LinkedIn: The Ultimate Job Search Hack

The "Jobs" tab in LinkedIn is a waste of time.

First of all, the job postings on there are often outdated. I've seen job listings from months (and even years!) ago still hanging around on there. And even when the postings are recent, a lot of them are just reposts from other job boards, so you're not getting any exclusive leads whatsoever.

At first sight, it's convenient and exciting. There are tons of jobs available. You trust the system, so you upload your resume, then transcribe everything that is in your resume into every little information slot again, attach your cover letter, then hit "submit" and... all your hard work goes into a big black hole.

Three weeks after, you are not hearing anything from anyone.

And you get frustrated.

You start hating on recruiters.

You start questioning if your resume is good enough.

You wonder if maybe the cover letter had a typo.

Even worse, you start questioning your capabilities.

You start listening to "The Sound of Silence."

But it's not you. It's them!

So, here's a tip: Use the "Search" bar instead.

By searching for keywords related to your field and connecting with professionals in that area, you can get the inside scoop on job openings and opportunities that aren't even listed on the Jobs tab yet. Plus, building a network of connections can help you land a job even if you don't see any immediate opportunities - people are more likely to recommend you for a job if they know you personally!

Next time around, try this:

1. Search for the role you are looking for, using "XXXXX". (e.g. "Director of Internal Communications")

2. Filter the results by "Posts", narrow it down to "Past week", and play with other filters that may help you get more precise results for your particular search.

3. Browse the posts and reach out to the author. Don't be shy. Say you are interested. Ask for the referral. Request an introduction. If they are posting about a job opening in their team openly is because they are looking to connect with people.

4. Establish a human connection.

5. Send your application.

6. Follow up.

Best part? You don’t even need LinkedIn Premium to use this approach.

If you don't get the job, at least you will have a new connection or person to follow for future opportunities.

And that's WAY better than getting nothing at all.

Happy #networking!