LinkedIn or Left Out: A Modern Networking Guide
LinkedIn profiles are becoming more of a necessity than an option in contemporary networking. As each year passes, social media grabs a stronger hold on the business world. Many have heard of the importance of LinkedIn as it relates to professional networking, but may not be aware of the data behind the site. To understand LinkedIn’s impact, let’s take a look at the numbers. The amount of jobs on the site, recruiter’s usage of LinkedIn, and its success compared to other social media sites are all relevant statistics that reinforce the necessity of utilizing the networking tool.
Job Traffic on LinkedIn
LinkedIn’s job search functions are remarkable in that job leads are usually plentiful and high-quality. There are 6.5 million available jobs on LinkedIn to browse.
While this is impressive in itself, the amount of positions available is not what makes LinkedIn useful. The true value of LinkedIn is the instant access and visibility to networks that lie behind an open position.
With over 500 million worldwide LinkedIn members on the site and over 133 million professionals in the U.S. with profiles, job seekers can connect directly with hiring managers for positions found on the site.
The ability to connect directly with a job poster or hiring manager is the true beauty behind LinkedIn’s job features.
Recruiters and LinkedIn
Recruiters are the ultimate connectors. While they may not have the perfect role for you at the moment, they are likely to be aware of upcoming positions, other industry leaders who are hiring, or of industry trends for which you should be aware. There is no doubt, recruiters can be an excellent asset in your job search. On average, they have 616 connections on LinkedIn from which to tap into.
Not only can recruiters be your partner in a job search, but they are also gatekeepers. If you fail to pass a recruiter’s initial screening, you may not be considered further. 94{71cf5e213abe4b8695d4163f7394590ecd558bc43315a99cecd424bb9ee498ea} of recruiters use LinkedIn to vet candidates and 48{71cf5e213abe4b8695d4163f7394590ecd558bc43315a99cecd424bb9ee498ea} only use LinkedIn for social outreach.
In order to pass their initial test or to attract recruiters when you are not actively searching for new opportunities, keep your LinkedIn profile updated! Keeping your profile, and specifically your positions up-to-date on LinkedIn makes you 18 times more likely to be found in searches.
LinkedIn vs. The Other Guys
In the social media world, the top 5 sites are Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram with LinkedIn coming in at number 5. Out of these sites, LinkedIn is the only site that is devoted specifically to professional networking. While companies or individuals may post jobs to other social media sites, data shows LinkedIn as the professional networking leader:
LinkedIn receives 3x more job views than Twitter (source)
LinkedIn receives 5.7x more job views than Facebook (source)
The numbers make the message clear: having a LinkedIn profile is critical and having an up-to-date profile that is the best possible representation of yourself is imperative. Networking is responsible for 85{71cf5e213abe4b8695d4163f7394590ecd558bc43315a99cecd424bb9ee498ea} of job fillings, and social media heavily influences the world of networking.
Need assistance building out your LinkedIn profile? Contact Vocamotive’s writing professionals. Click here for a free consultation.
* About the Author:
Brittney Beck, CCELW is Senior Associate Résumé and LinkedIn Profile Writer and Recruitment Strategist for Vocamotive, Inc. She has an education in strategic communications, as well as considerable experience in writing, career development, and personal branding. Brittney is highly talented in assisting her clients achieve their professional goals and the materials she creates quickly result in interview opportunities. Her dedication to her craft and expert business writing abilities result in top-tier products.
Follow Brittney on LinkedIn at: www.linkedin.com/in/beckbrittney/
Contact Brittney via email at: bbeck@vocamotive.com
Obtain professional Résumé and LinkedIn profile writing assistance by contacting Brittney directly, visiting Vocamotive’s website or by calling to schedule a free consultation.
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* Research and Editorial Assistance Provided by Adam Zajac, NCRW and Luke Myers.
Last Updated on July 31, 2017 by Voca_GC