4 LinkedIn developments jobseekers need to know about

At LinkedIn, our mission is to connect the world’s professionals, and help them become even more productive and successful.

Therefore, we are continually working on new ways to help you build and expand your network. As we add new features designed to help you succeed in your career, it’s well worth keeping up-to-date with what they are, and how to use them. Even if you aren’t actively looking for your next career move just yet, you may simply want to elevate your personal brand or engage more with your network.

Check out the list below to make sure you’re taking full advantage of all these features:

1. Open Candidates

So, what if you’re open to new opportunities, or on the hunt for your next career move, but worry about your employer finding out? Well, we’ve got you covered. A feature called ‘Open Candidates’ makes it easier to connect with your dream job by privately signaling to recruiters that you’re open to new job opportunities.

You can specify the types of companies and roles you are most interested in, and be easily found by the hundreds of thousands of recruiters who use LinkedIn to find great professional talent.

This feature has quickly become one of the best ways for jobseekers to be found by recruiters, and it’s not hard to see why. Once a recruiter or a hiring manager can see that you’re open to new opportunities – and the sort of jobs you’re looking for – it’s a lot easier for them to reach out to you .

If that doesn’t have you convinced, our data shows that members who have switched on their ‘Open Candidates’ setting are twice as likely to receive relevant opportunities from recruiters. Today, more than 10 million members have switched the feature on, and to join them – you just have to click on ‘career interests’ while on the LinkedIn Jobs homepage.

2. Resume Assistant

Crafting a CV that accurately represents you, your skills, and your personality can be a difficult task. So to help give professionals a jump-start with their job search, we recently announced a product integration with Microsoft called Resume Assistant.

With this integration, you’ll get the inspiration and resources to craft a compelling CV directly within Microsoft Word, and you’ll see relevant job opportunities on LinkedIn that are personalised for you. Not only will Resume Assistant show you jobs suited to you, but it will also provide tips on how to make your CV more impactful using the type of skills other professionals in your desired role and industry have.

Using Resume Assistant will help make sure you’re showcasing the best of yourself on your CV, and make sure you’re not selling yourself short on job applications – giving you the best possible chance of securing an interview for your dream role.

Access CV tips and advice

3. LinkedIn Video

Another feature we have rolled out this year is the ability to record, upload, and post video content directly from your LinkedIn profile.

This means that you can now record video directly from the LinkedIn app, or upload pre-recorded videos from your phone’s camera roll. You’ll also be able to see audience insights for uploaded videos, which will show you the kind of companies, locations, and titles of viewers watching your videos.

This is great for jobseekers, as it gives you another medium to share your professional knowledge and insights. Videos are a powerful way of showcasing your personality, motivations, perspective, and experience – all of which help to get you noticed by companies and recruiters alike.

4. Career Advice

While finding the right job is important, we know it’s only one part of the equation. Mentorship is key for developing a satisfying career and improving your professional life – regardless of whether you’re the one giving some form of mentorship, or receiving it. Which is why earlier this year, we added a ‘Career Advice’ feature.

It helps you connect with other professionals across the LinkedIn network for mentorship opportunities. Whether you need advice on your career path, or you’re switching to a new industry, or looking for best practices for a project you’re working on – Career Advice can help you find and connect with the right person.

• 20 questions to ask yourself before starting your job search
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• The biggest social media mistakes jobseekers make 
• How to get your CV into the recruiter’s ‘yes’ pile
• How will job searching change in 2018 and beyond? 
• The worst questions to ask your interviewer

Author

Steve Lewis

Director, Global Strategic Accounts - Search, Staffing and RPO EMEA

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Steve’s role at LinkedIn is to lead a global team delivering enhanced RoI to a very small set of LinkedIn EMEA’s largest and most strategic clients; those within the Search, Staffing and Recruitment Consultancy and RPO market.

As part of its vision to create the World’s first Economic Graph LinkedIn has a commitment to profoundly transform the wider recruitment industry offering to both candidates and clients for the benefit of the marketplace and those it serves.

Previous to LinkedIn, as Managing Director and Board Member of The Network eG, Steve founded totaljobs.com’s international division and built it into a 120 country partnership.  This was part of a 10 year career with one of the UK’s leading jobboards.

Steve has a passion for Social Media and enjoys working with fast-paced disruptive technologies that can positively change the way the world does business and finds opportunity.  As such, Steve sits on the Board of several Tech Start-ups as Non-Executive Director.

Earlier this year Steve was appointed to the UK Board of Women at LinkedIn (Employee Resource Group) as its first Male Ally.