10 Steps to using LinkedIn for your job search:
1. Build your profile: Include as much detail as possible. Sell yourself using the Summary block. Use important key words. Get your Profile Completeness rating to 100%. Customize a vanity URL with your name, like www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmatyas.
2. Build your network: Import your email address book into LinkedIn and invite everyone you know to connect to you, even if they're not currently using LinkedIn. Search for people you know from previous jobs or schools. Personalize invitations, especially to people that you found on LinkedIn - talk about them and why you think connecting would be mutually beneficial
3. Get recommendations: Ask former coworkers and colleagues to recommend your past work and your unique talents and abilities. Do the same for them. Be specific in your request with some suggested items for them to mention that are important to your story.
4. Join Groups: Find LinkedIn Groups that are in your area of expertise and join them. Connect with people in those groups. Start and join discussions in them - this increases your visibility to others that you are not currently connected to.
5. Put your vanity URL on your resume: This gives hiring managers awareness of your level of sophistication and allows them to view your profile and let you sell yourself through your profile.
6. Find out where people with your background are working: Use the advanced search feature to search by keyword, location, industry, and more.
7. Search for Jobs: Use the JobsInsider to search for jobs and find people that are connected to the company or decision makers.
8. Research companies: Find out more about the company, especially who works there, if you know anyone that works there now or did in the past, and help prepare yourself for any interviews.
9. Use your LinkedIn status: Make it known to your network that you are actively looking for a job and post updates on your progress as reminders. Others can keep you in mind and might give you the lead to the perfect job.
10. Participate in LinkedIn Answers: Contribute to discussions in your area of expertise. These posts will show up in various places on LinkedIn to others and may provide the critical instance of visibility that you need to get a lead on your job.