| A new grad sent an inquiry about using LinkedIn in her | | | | not be able to help you find a job specifically - lots of |
| job search - here's the answer, in the form of a letter | | | | search people don't work with new grads, because |
| to my young friend. Take a look, and see how LinkedIn | | | | new grads are not the job-seekers that firms will |
| can help in your own job search!Dear | | | | typically pay search people to find for them - but they |
| Emily,Congratulations on your new degree! Here are a | | | | can advise you nonetheless. In ten minutes on the |
| few ideas on using LinkedIn in your job search.I don't | | | | phone with a headhunter you can learn enough to |
| think that an overt outreach campaign that reaches | | | | target some companies, drop others from your list |
| out to people (whether hiring managers, HR folks, or | | | | entirely, and save yourself hours or weeks of |
| other influencers) at various companies and tells them | | | | trouble.4) Very important - use LinkedIn to expand the |
| about your job search, is going to be especially | | | | network of people you ALREADY know, who should |
| satisfying for you. For one thing, this is the sort of | | | | be informed that you are out of school and |
| contact that people fear when they're trying to decide | | | | job-hunting.Where there isn't a compelling rationale for |
| whether or not to join a network like LinkedIn. Unless | | | | contact, it's awkward to reach out to strangers and |
| there is some clear, compelling intersection between | | | | say "Gee, want to hire me?" But you should absolutely |
| your background or talents and the company's specific | | | | use LinkedIn to get back in touch with people you |
| need, I would view this as typically unwelcome | | | | already know - friends of your parents, your friends' |
| contact.(I'm just one person. But I'm a ridiculously | | | | parents and older siblings, the lady you babysat for in |
| long-in-the-tooth HR person, with a focus on job | | | | high school, anyone you interned for during college, the |
| hunting.)Luckily, there are many better ways to use | | | | McKinsey VP who sang in choir at church all those |
| LinkedIn in your job search. Here are four of them, for | | | | years with your mom - get it? - and enroll them in |
| starters:1) Check out LinkedIn jobs, naturally. If you can | | | | supporting your job search.What you are doing with |
| see a job there, that means that you're connected to | | | | LinkedIn in this case is simply pulling together your |
| the job, which is very sweet for a new grad. If you do | | | | existing network (the people you know, though you |
| not have tons of connections, connect to your parents' | | | | may not have thought of them as your network) and |
| friends, or anyone you know who's already in the | | | | bringing them up to date on your professional status. |
| business world.2) Use LinkedIn for your job-search | | | | Here's how to find them:a) do a LinkedIn search on the |
| research project. You will focus on specific companies | | | | city where you grew up and identify people you know. |
| - you should do that, as it gives you a target for your | | | | If you grew up in San Jose or New York or Chicago, |
| job search and turns you into an active job researcher | | | | scratch that and go right to b)b) sit down with a piece |
| seeker rather than just a person who trolls all day long. | | | | of paper and a pencil and list everyone in business that |
| As you identify these companies, you can learn a | | | | you know. A new grad should be able to list 100 such |
| TON about them via LinkedIn. Search on the company | | | | people - push yourself. Think about Girl Scout leaders, |
| name to find people who work there now or who | | | | the volunteer who directed "Grease" your senior year |
| used to work there - what sorts of backgrounds do | | | | of high school, the track team parents, the librarian |
| they have? What sorts of education? Which of these | | | | back in your high school who is a corporate |
| target companies seem most suitable for you given | | | | Knowledge Manager now - you can do it! Once you |
| your own experiences and interests?If you're looking | | | | have the list on paper (actually, do it in Word so you |
| to apply at a company and don't feel comfortable | | | | can cut and paste names into the LinkedIn search box) |
| contacting someone who works there now, out of the | | | | start looking for these folks on LinkedIn.Some of the |
| blue (and who could blame you for that), contact | | | | people on your list won't be on LinkedIn yet, of course |
| someone who USED to work there! Corporate alums | | | | - if you really want to include them in the network |
| are under no pressure to recommend you for a job, | | | | you're constructing, you'll have to find their email |
| and will most likely talk very freely about their former | | | | addresses so that you can invite them to join. The |
| company. This is the indirect approach - LinkedIn is a | | | | easiest way (short of phoning them) is to Google them |
| terrific vehicle for that. (Do the person a favor, since | | | | - there's a decent chance you'll find an email address |
| he or she is helping you - create a logo for his or her | | | | that way. Out of your starter list of 100 |
| teenage daughter's blog, for instance.)3) Use LinkedIn | | | | friends-and-family advocates, perhaps you'll end up |
| to find relevant headhunters to talk to. Headhunters | | | | with a decent network of 65 LinkedIn contacts. |
| are well-connected and, like real estate agents, seldom | | | | Perhaps more!Good luck Emily! Don't be timid when it |
| shun a phone call that comes out of the blue (although | | | | comes time to negotiate the multiple job offers you |
| it may take them awhile to call you back). They may | | | | are sure to be juggling before long. |