Five pieces of good advice

How to use your network and LinkedIn in your job search

Use your network when you are looking for a job. You have probably heard that advice before. But how to do it in practice? Here are five pieces of good advice for what you can do.

Get personal help to optimise your LinkedIn profile

You can get guidance on strategic use and optimisation of your profile on LinkedIn. Contact HK's career counsellors.

5 pieces of good advice

  1. Check if there is someone in your network who works in the company or the industry that you would like to work for. You can use LinkedIn to get an overview of your network: Where are your former colleagues, family, friends, neighbours, fellow students, parents from the kindergarten/school and sports team-mates employed? Which job functions do they have? Who do they know?

  2. Reach out to the people in your network who work in the company or industry that you also dream of working for. Avoid asking your network for a job. Instead, ask for knowledge. You might for instance say: "I’m reaching out to you because you work for a company/industry that I would also like to work for. Do you have the time to share your knowledge for half an hour over a cup of coffee?" You might ask, among other things: How did they get their job? What does the company or the industry attach importance to when hiring new employees? Which terms and key words does the company or industry use? You should be aware that a coffee or network meeting is not a job interview, but a meeting to give you relevant knowledge that you can use in your further job search.

  3. Be active and visible on LinkedIn. First, you must ensure that your profile is updated with your present and former jobs, job assignments, results, education and competencies. It is also a good idea to comment on, share and like the contents of your contacts. Also, share your professional knowledge by creating postings or participating in discussions in relevant groups. It is a good way to show who you are and what you represent professionally. Who knows – maybe recruitment consultants and companies will contact you.

  4. Be patient when you network. You cannot expect to be headhunted for the dream job after your first coffee meeting or one professional posting on LinkedIn. You should remind yourself that it always pays off to invest time in your network. Perhaps you get invaluable background knowledge that you may benefit from when you looking for your next job. Maybe one of your contacts thinks of you if there is a vacant job in their company. Perhaps you will help someone in your network with relevant knowledge.

  5. Look at networks as a mutual exchange relation in which both parties should benefit from. Offer your help where you can, and share your knowledge about industries, professional methods and relevant contacts. When you land your dream job, you should continue maintaining your network: like and comment on the postings of others on LinkedIn, and offer your help when needed. It feels good to help others,  - and you never know when you will need your network again.

Optimise your LinkedIn profile

Does your LinkedIn profile need a makeover and optimisation? Get tips for how you do it here
You can also attend HK's online course on LinkedIn (in Danish)

 

3 quick tips

  1. Did you know that you can activate the function "Open to work" on LinkedIn? The function shows that you are looking for a job. You can choose that all LinkedIn members – including e.g. recruitment consultants AND persons at your present company - can see that you are looking for a new job. If you want to keep your job hunt secret, you can also choose that only recruitment consultants who use LinkedIn Recruiter can see that you are "Open to work". LinkedIn thus tries to hide your setting from the recruitment consultants of your present employer.

  2. You can also use LinkedIn to find vacant jobs. If you are at a computer, you can click on dk.linkedin.com/jobs and search for job titles or companies. If you use LinkedIn's app, you will find a small job icon in the bottom right corner. If you would like to work for a certain company, you can follow that company. That way, when the company is looking for a new employee, you will see it right away. 

  3. Always have a so-called elevator speech ready when you network. An elevator speech should give an impression of you, your professionalism and motivation. The speech must be brief enough to only last an elevator ride (max 60 seconds). Your elevator speech should provide answers to the following questions:
    - Who you are? (Name and job)
    - What do you do? (Actual job assignments)
    - What can you do? (Your results)
    - What do you want? (What are you enthusiastic about? What would you like to do in the future?)

Be headhunted through HK's job exchange database
Did you know that you can create your CV at HK's job exchange database and perhaps end up being headhunted? An employer can contact HK when they look for new employees. We then search in HK's exchange CV database for relevant and qualified candidates. If your qualifications and wishes match the job, we will contact you. Follow this link to HK's job portal.

Create a job agent
Create a job agent at HK's job portal. The job agent automatically searches on the internet for new, relevant job postings and sends you an email with the postings. Easy and practical.

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