This Is How You Use LinkedIn To Get A Job

Today, professional networking is everything.

For MBAs, networking sites such as LinkedIn are everything when it comes to not only finding a job, but also simply getting spotted by recruiters.

Karen Gilchrist, a reporter at CNBC, breaks down three ways LinkedIn can help MBA grads find their dream job.

LinkedIn’s Influence

About 95% of recruiters utilize LinkedIn to find candidates, according to US News report.

Chris Reed, founder and CEO of Black Marketing, says LinkedIn is central to getting a job as an MBA.

“People will Google you and find your profile. If it’s incomplete, no amount of MBA will save you in terms of how you progress,” Reed tells CNBC.

Keep Your Profile Up to Date

Experts say it’s critical for MBA grads to consistently update their LinkedIn profile with the latest information.

Doing so, Gilchrist says, can demonstrate how much you’re worth.

“Complete the summary, which should use as many available characters as possible, and include information about your MBA and why you’re worth more now than you were before,” Gilchrist writes. “It should also feature your education and work experience, including side projects or non-profit work.”

Consistently updating your information can also make your profile more easily searchable to recruiters.

“Creative sourcers will employ complex searches for LinkedIn public profiles using Google rather than even going into LinkedIn,” Arnie Fertig, a contributor at US News, writes. “Make sure that you review what your public profile shows, and make it visible to everyone so that you can be found.”

Post, Post, And Post

In addition to continuously updating your information, it’s also helpful to curate original content.

“According to the 1-9-90 rule, it’s thought that for every 100 social media users, just one percent are original content creators, while nine percent are advocates — those who will like, comment and share,” Gilchrist writes. “The remaining 90 percent are simply observers. That model is often used by those wishing to target their social media audience more effectively.”

In other words, according to Reed, if you want to be recognized as a leader to recruiters, you’ll need to show that you’re not simply an observer or an advocate, but a creator.

“You have a choice,” Reed tells CNBC. “Do you want to be the one percent, who are leaders; the nine percent, who are followers; or the 90 percent, who do nothing but are voyeurs?”

Connect And Network

You paid thousands of dollars for your MBA for a reason. And while part of that reason may be for the education, the actual value is in your network.

Experts suggest MBA grads to connect with fellow alumni in addition to any internship or work colleagues.

“A lot of jobs are not advertised — that’s where the networking comes in,” Reed tells CNBC.  “If you’ve got an MBA, a lot of it is about you and your personality, your experience, what you can offer somebody. That’s what networking’s about. If you’re intelligent and you’re bright, people will find a place for you.”

Sources: CNBC, US News