How to get a job via LinkedIn

I landed my last 2 jobs via LinkedIn without even trying.

Spoiler Alert: When I say I landed these jobs “without even trying” – I mean that I wasn’t directly job hunting when these opportunities landed in my LinkedIn inbox. This process still takes effort 🙂

 

Step One – Pack your patience

This is a long game, or at least it was for my last two moves:

  • The first one happened because a recruiter found me and set up a call with the hiring manager, who I clicked with. That position was filled internally (heard that one before?), but a year later when another position opened, I was the first person she reached out to and I landed the job.
  • The second time, over a year later, another direct message on LinkedIn turned into another positive job change. This position description was never even posted online, but I was in the right place at the right time on LinkedIn.

 

How do you show up in the right place at the right time on LinkedIn? See Step Two.

 

Step Two – Do all the things

Or at least, always be doing some of the things. Even if you’re not job hunting right now. What things?

Optimize your LinkedIn profile

At least once per quarter, do a refresh to add your latest accomplishments and new key words. Learn how to consider profile SEO and prepare your profile for a job hunt. The recruiter I mentioned above found me based on new key words I had just added to my profile.

Watch webinars

They are free and full of valuable info about new tools, strategies, lingo, and resources. They are also a great way to expand your network with the right people … “Hi Ms. Expert, I just watched your webinar on XYZ and I’d love to connect.” Here’s a list of free Webinars for Technical Communicators or Google [your industry] + webinar. Pro tip: If a live webinar is scheduled for a time you can’t attend, still register and you’ll likely get a link to the recording.

Network with your local professional community

I joined the leadership team of a professional chapter for my industry. If you don’t have time for that, attend events when you can. Meetup is a great place to find local events for your industry. Learn the names of people and companies to follow and then engage with them on LinkedIn.

Post, write articles, comment

Have something to say about what you do. Contribute to discussions your network is starting in their posts and articles, and they’ll be more likely to return that engagement. My most recent opportunity happened because the right person saw a relevant article I had just published on LinkedIn. You don’t need to be an Influencer to write an article that gets noticed.

 

Don’t be complacent if you’re in a good spot now. Your network and credibility is something to build over time, not switch on for a quick return after a missed promotion or unexpected layoff.

 

Recommended Reading: Jeff Goins wrote an excellent piece on Medium – “We assume great careers happen because one extraordinary person makes a big bet that pays off. That’s not how it actually works most of the time.

Do you know about Knowledge-Centered Service?

KCS Methodology
KCS Double Loop Process for Knowledge Capture

Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS®), formerly called Knowledge Centered Support, is a methodology to integrate knowledge creation and maintenance into your day-to-day processes.

KCS becomes the way people solve problems and creates knowledge as a by-product of problem solving.

KCS Goals

  1. Integrate the reuse, improvement, and creation of knowledge into the problem solving process.
  2. Evolve content based on demand and usage.
  3. Develop a knowledge base of collective experience to date.
  4. Reward learning, collaboration, sharing, and improving.

My Favorite KCS Concepts

  • Knowledge Is User-Centric. Information becomes knowledge when it is actionable, which means it is demand-driven. Customers are the catalyst for information becoming knowledge. – so frame information from their perspective.
  • Collective Ownership. Knowledge ownership applies to all who use the knowledge, therefore, knowledge workers and users are part-owners of the content.
  • Continuous Improvement. Double loop learning means that solving problems creates knowledge, and evaluating the knowledge helps it evolve.

Get Trained & Certified

KCS v6 Fundamentals Certification – Entry-level understanding of the methodology across groups of knowledge workers.
KCS v6 Practices Certification – A more thorough understanding of KCS methodology and adoption.

Recommended Resources

LinkedIn Group for KCS
KCS v6 Fundamentals Certification Study Guide *Start here and read “KCS Principles and Core Concepts”  for free, to see if the concepts interest you*


Image Credit: Knowledge Centered Service (KCS) by MindTouch

KCS® is a service mark of the Consortium for Service Innovationâ„¢.