How to find a job using Linkedin

From Women's Business Examiner

One of the best ways to find a job is to use your network. I recommend using the online networking tool, Linkedin
to build your online presence and help you find a job. Even if you're
not looking for a job today, you can start building your profile now so
you can be prepared whenever you do want to find a job.

If you're not familiar with Linkedin, go to the Linkedin Learning Center
to get your basic questions answered. Then register (there's no cost to
start a basic account) and design a complete business profile that
highlights your accomplishments. Think of this as your online resume.
What would you want a prospective employer to read about you?

Also,
remember that anyone at your company can see this profile, so if you
don't want your current employer to know that you are looking for a
job, don't mention it.After
you finish your profile, you can start to invite your current
colleagues and friends to connect with you.  You can also reconnect
with people you worked with in the past. Search for colleagues at past
jobs by using the "Search" button at the top of the page or go to the
bottom of the page and look under "Just Joined Linkedin".  It will show
people at the companies that you worked for that you might know.

Next, you want to expand your profile by asking colleagues to write references for you on Linkedin. Make sure to write references for them also.Now you're ready to find a job using your online network. Click on the "Jobs"
link at the top of the page and search for jobs that interest you. On
the right side of the page look for the name of the person that posted
the job. If this area says "Your connections know (this person)" or
"Your connections know friends of (this person)" click on it to see the
connections. If there is a direct connection, contact your friend or
colleague and ask for a recommendation and introduction.

If there is a
link that says "Request Referral" click on it and send a note to your
contact and ask them to forward an introduction to their contacts who
can forward it to the person posting the job.If
there are no connections, you can click on the name of the person that
posted the job to get more information about him or her. 

Look for
information such as how long this person has been in the job, what
groups and associations they've joined and previous companies they've
worked for. This information can help you to tailor your cover letter
or help you in the interview.You can also easily find out more information about the company by clicking on the "Companies"
link at the top of the page. This area also lists people in your
network that work for the company or used to work for the company. You
can contact people that used to work for the company to find out more
about it and see if they still have colleagues there. If they do, ask
them if you can send a resume so they can refer you. A personal
referral is much more powerful than just sending an application.

Use
the information you've found about the company to fine-tune your resume
and cover letter to make sure they are appropriate for the job.Don't
forget to thank everyone in your network that helps you. And be sure to
help them when they need your assistance. That's all part of creating
and maintaining a strong online network.

Whether you are looking for a job now, or just want to expand your network, I recommend that you start using Linkedin to help you in your career. Laura
Browne is the author of "Why Can't You Communicate Like Me? How Smart
Women Get Results at Work" available at Amazon.com and Barnes and
Noble. She also offers individual business coaching sessions and
success workshops for companies. 

Contact her at Laura@LauraCBrowne.com for more information.