LinkedIn has become one of the top places for both job seekers and recruiters. With over 740 million members, LinkedIn is the largest professional social media platform where professionals connect, find jobs and business opportunities.
According to LinkedIn’s data, there are over 40 million active recruiters on the platform who use it to search for potential candidates for open positions. As a job seeker, connecting with recruiters on LinkedIn can significantly increase your chances of landing a new job.
But with so many recruiters on LinkedIn, how do you find the right ones that align with your industry, experience level and job search goals? Here are some tips on how to best utilize LinkedIn to connect with recruiters and get their attention so they can help you with your job search.
Optimize your LinkedIn profile
The first step is to make sure your LinkedIn profile is optimized to be found by recruiters searching for candidates like you. Recruiters often search LinkedIn based on keywords, titles, skills, education and locations.
Here are some profile optimization tips:
– Have a professional photo and background image. This gives a good first impression.
– Write an informative headline. Include your current title and professional focus.
– Fill out your summary section. Include an overview of your background, experience and skills.
– List all your skills. Make sure to include keywords recruiters may search for.
– Include all past work experience. Provide details of your roles and accomplishments.
– Add your education. List all degrees, certifications and training.
– Update your location. Recruiters often search within specific geographic areas.
– Expand your connections. Grow your network, especially with those in your industry.
– Get recommendations and endorsements. This validates your skills and expertise.
– Publish content and engage with your network. This builds your brand and visibility.
Optimizing all sections of your profile allows recruiters to easily find and learn about you when searching LinkedIn for potential job candidates.
Use LinkedIn’s job search filters
Once your profile is recruiter-ready, take advantage of LinkedIn’s robust job search features to find postings from companies actively hiring. Narrow your search using filters like:
– Location – Search job listings within a city, region or country.
– Company – Target postings from specific employers you’re interested in.
– Title – Focus on job titles that match your experience and interests.
– Date posted – Find the most recent openings posted on LinkedIn.
– Experience level – Filter by seniority to find the right level positions.
– Job type – Search for full-time, part-time, contract or remote jobs.
– Industry – Zero in on your particular industry and vertical.
– Function – Choose options like IT, engineering, marketing, sales, etc.
The job search filters allow you to drill down to find openings that closely match your background and career goals. Pay attention to which companies and recruiters are consistently posting jobs relevant to you.
Connect with recruiters at target companies
Once you identify employers you’re interested in, seek out recruiters who work there by searching their LinkedIn profiles. Good places to find them include:
– Company LinkedIn pages – Companies often list their recruiters and talent acquisition contacts.
– Company websites – Look for their Careers or Jobs pages to find the recruiters.
– People search – Search by company name and recruiter titles like “recruiter” or “talent acquisition”.
– Groups – Join industry or niche LinkedIn Groups where recruiters participate.
– Job postings – Look at the job listings for the recruiter name/contact.
– Advanced search – Use filters to find recruiters in your locations, industries, etc.
Make a list of the recruiters at your target companies and send them personalized connection requests. Reference shared connections, groups, experience or interests you have in common. This gives context beyond just asking to connect.
Engage with recruiters that view your profile
One of the best signals a recruiter may be interested in you is if they view your LinkedIn profile. You’ll get notifications when a recruiter from a company you want to work for views your profile.
When this happens, prioritize reaching out to start a conversation. Mention that you noticed they viewed your profile and ask if they have any current job openings that may be a good fit.
This turns a passive profile view into an opportunity to actively engage the recruiter in discussing potential job opportunities. Even if they don’t have a current opening, they will have you on their radar for future roles.
Follow companies to get notified of new jobs
Another way to keep your finger on the pulse of new job openings is to follow specific employers on LinkedIn. After following a company, you’ll be notified when they post new jobs.
This allows you to be one of the first applicants for positions at companies you want to work for. Apply as soon as possible after a new job is posted to improve your chances of getting interviews before they are inundated with applicants.
Being among the initial group of applicants shows recruiters that you have proactive interest in their company. You can reference following them and their jobs when networking with their recruiters as well.
Join LinkedIn networking and industry groups
Expand your LinkedIn network by joining large networking groups as well as niche industry groups aligned with your professional interests. This exposes you to new connections and participating recruiters.
When joining groups, look for ones that:
– Have a high number of members. Bigger groups expand your reach.
– Are directly related to your industry and job function. The more targeted the better.
– Have active discussions you can contribute value to. Offer insights and advice.
– Have members you would like to network and connect with. Recruiters as well as potential mentors, partners and clients.
– Host live and virtual events. This creates networking opportunities.
– Share job listings and hiring information. Pay attention to the recruiters posting jobs.
Interacting in groups allows you to get on recruiters’ radar by showcasing your experience through posts and discussions.
Attend LinkedIn events and conferences
LinkedIn hosts several live and virtual events throughout the year including conferences, networking events and seminars. These are valuable opportunities to engage directly with recruiters in real time.
Popular LinkedIn events to consider attending include:
– LinkedIn Talent Connect – Large recruiting-focused conference.
– LinkedIn Local events – Smaller networking events in cities globally.
– LinkedIn Learning seminars – Webinars focused on professional development skills.
– LinkedIn Live videos – Live streamed videos on a variety of business and hiring topics.
At these events you can network with recruiters through:
– One-on-one meetings and interviews.
– Group networking sessions.
– Speaker Q&A’s.
– Meeting recruiters manning exhibitor booths.
– Virtual group chats and private messaging.
Following up after events to keep conversations going is key to building connections that pay off in referrals and job opportunities.
Pay for LinkedIn Premium and Recruiter access
While many core LinkedIn features are free, upgrading to their Premium and Recruiter memberships provides added tools to connect with recruiters. Benefits include:
LinkedIn Premium features:
– See who viewed your profile and when
– Unlimited InMail messages to recruiters
– Contact info for recruiters that view you
– Filter searches by years of experience
– See more potential connections
LinkedIn Recruiter features:
– Unlimited profile views
– Recommended candidate searches
– Unlimited InMails and messages
– Salary data and competitor intel
– Advanced search filters and notifications
The paid access levels optimize your ability to research recruiters and companies, market yourself, and proactively reach out to engage recruiters.
Promote yourself as an industry thought leader
Positioning yourself as a thought leader in your industry gives you added visibility with recruiters. Share your expertise by:
– Publishing long-form posts on LinkedIn
– Contributing guest articles to online publications
– Speaking at industry conferences and events
– Starting a podcast, blog or video channel
– Offering insights and trends on news and discussions
When you consistently provide value through thought leadership, recruiters take notice. They see you actively enhancing your personal brand which translates into you being a valuable hire for their company.
Partner with contract recruiting agencies
Working with contract recruiters at staffing agencies is another approach to access job opportunities. Agencies like Robert Half, ManpowerGroup and Randstad work with clients to fill full-time, part-time and contract roles.
You can connect with specialized recruiters at staffing agencies through:
– LinkedIn Groups focused on contract hiring
– Attending job fairs and agency networking events
– Agencies advertising open positions on their Sites
– Referrals from colleagues who have worked with recruiters
– Searching profiles of recruiters at staffing firms
The right recruiters will advocate to match your skills with positions they are trying to fill for clients. This provides inside access to jobs you may not see posted publicly otherwise.
Search using recruiter-optimized keywords
Leverage LinkedIn’s advanced people search to find recruiters using targeted keywords. Examples of keywords to try:
– Recruiter, HR Recruiter, Technical Recruiter, IT Recruiter
– Talent Acquisition, sourcer, talent scout
– Staffing manager, hiring manager, talent manager
– Headhunter, executive recruiter, agency recruiter
– College recruiter, university recruiter
– Engineering recruiter, software recruiter
– (Industry) recruiter – ex. Marketing recruiter
The recruiter-optimized keywords help surface profiles of both in-house and agency recruiters focused on filling roles you are qualified for. Connecting provides mutual access to discuss potential opportunities.
Conclusion
Finding and connecting with professional recruiters is now an essential part of any effective LinkedIn job search. The vast majority of recruiters are actively using LinkedIn to source qualified candidates.
By fully optimizing your profile, utilizing advanced search filters, directly engaging recruiters at target companies, building your industry networks and promoting your personal brand, you can greatly enhance your chances of being found for your next career move.
Dedicate time daily to proactively nurturing relationships with relevant recruiters at potential employers. Also leverage premium tools and recruiting agencies when needed. This multi-pronged recruiter outreach will help guide you to exciting new job opportunities where you can thrive and grow in your career.