Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode…

• First, Isaiah gives a general idea of how to ensure you leverage the power of LinkedIn during your job search
• Next, Isaiah explains why it’s so important to create your profile keeping the employer’s perspective in mind
• Finally, Isaiah presents the “open for work” feature and teaches you how to take advantage of it

Your LinkedIn profile is one of the most powerful ways to get noticed by industry professionals.

Over 90% of employers and recruiters use social media to find talent. And, if they’re not finding talent through LinkedIn, they’re at the very least using it to vet applicants.

But realize that LinkedIn isn’t Facebook. You can’t just create a profile and start adding friends. In fact, just pressing the connection button over and over again can actually hurt your job search.

To leverage the power of LinkedIn, you have to know how its algorithm works and understand that LinkedIn’s primary customer isn’t you – it’s the companies that pay millions if not billion to post their job openings and screen candidates with LinkedIn Recruiter.

Companies use the LinkedIn Recruiter platform to fill positions using three main search fields: job title, location, and skills.

Non-PhD hiring managers are not expert researchers. They’re only searching these 3 search fields the majority of the time. So, if your profile doesn’t include these terms, you’ll be completely invisible to hiring managers.

Another trick is to present yourself as the employee you want to be, not the one that you are. This is particularly important for those of you who are transitioning from academia.

Show employers that you’re a professional – not a student or lifetime academic – starting with your profile picture.

Replace the photo of you next to a bookcase, at a desk, or in lab coat with one of you wearing business attire. If you want to be an industry professional, you have to start looking like one.

The same applies to your text. Eliminate academic titles like “PhD Student”, “TA”, “Professor” “Postdoc”, or “Fellow”, and avoid technical or specialty jargon – no company is searching these academic terms.

Another cool LinkedIn feature is the “open for work” function. Below the profile headline, there’s a selection that indicates to employers that you’re seeking work.

You can also specify your desired location – including remote work – and add a brief message that will be visible to hiring managers.

Turn this on and your profile will start appearing higher up in search results. In fact, if you don’t turn this on, you’ll be completely invisible on LinkedIn’s employer platforms.

Always keep your profile up-to-date and remain active in your LinkedIn feed. By consistently interacting with the community, and maintaining a current profile, you’ll create an online persona that will help you reach the top of any employer’s search results.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

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