One of the less promoted features of Linkedin is their job search tools.
While LinkedIN heavily promotes its ability to connect you to friends of friends of friends, it also features some tremendously powerful job search tools. I’ll discuss some of the best today.
LinkedIN JobsInsider: LinkedIN JobsInsider is jaw dropping. Amazing. It downloads into your IE or Firefox browser, and is a brilliant use of technology mashups.
After you download – and then go on to some of the top 7 job boards, pull up a job. LinkedIN JobsInsider will overlay contacts from your LinkedIN network who work at that company. So you can contact people for informational interviews, to find out more about the employer, and network your way to the hiring manager….and bypass HR.
Are you saying WOW yet? I did when I first used it.
Find the link at the bottom of your LinkedIN home page, listed under Tools. You’ll be sent to a download page, that gives you instructions to load the LinkedIN JobsInsider widget into your browser. It will appear up near the toolbar after installation.
After you’re loaded up, use LinkedIN Jobsinsider with: CareerBuilder, Monster, Hotjobs, Dice, CraigsList, SimplyHired, and Vault. LinkedIN is building support for many other job sites to be released going forward.
Whenever you view a job listing on a known job site, the JobsInsider opens up in a side pane in your browser. In the JobsInsider, you will automatically see your inside connections to the company whose job you are looking at. These inside connections can help you get hired for the job through informational interviews or by introducing you directly to the hiring manager.
Jobs Tab: At the top of any LinkedIN page, you see a Jobs Tab. By clicking it, you’ll have access to simple and advanced search tools that connect to SimplyHired, a job board aggregator.
SimplyHired is a job board aggregator, which crawls thousands of other job boards, aggregates listings. SimplyHired claims they have the most jobs on the planet (I believe them). You’ll get a very broad view of job postings from the major boards, Craigslist, and many niche boards.
Not only does SimplyHired crawl the net for new job boards, it encourages job boards to submit feeds, to list new jobs on smaller sites quickly. SimplyHired pulls jobs from job boards, company pages, online classifieds and other data sources.
SimplyHired has partnered with both LinkedIN and Facebook to integrate job search with online networking. For instance, clicking "Who do I know?" will instantly reveal whether your old cube-mate back at that awful job you used to have is now the hiring manager for the job you want. In a broader sense, it works in a similar way to the LinkedIN Jobsinsider feature, but it's even easier to use.
Watch for a more in depth review of SimplyHired coming soon.
LinkedIN Advanced Search: Click People on the top LinkedIN tab, and use the Advanced search features to find hiring managers with specific titles, specific companies, industries, geography, or skill sets.
Let’s say you’re a Controller in Boston looking for work – you probably want to talk to CFOs and VPs of Finance. Search for the key words CFO and segment by only listing contacts that are close to Boston.
Maybe you’re a Java developer in Minneapolis. You probably want to see which other companies are Java shops, and maybe find some Project Managers or Directors of Application Development. Search for Java and segment by searching close to Minneapolis. Take your list of Java shops as your Target company list.
Maybe you’re a Manufacturing Manager for an Auto OEM, and you’re open to move. Search for OEM, under the industry dropdown Automotive, and see what companies appear. Then individually search those companies one by one to see who is likely to be close to your prospective hiring manager.
With a reasonably sized database and LinkedIN Advanced search, you can find Kevin Bacon or Elvis.
What innovative ways have you found to use LinkedIN in your job search?
If you’d like more information, a free 30 minute resume consultation, or some advice about your career transition, just email your resume to reCareered at phil.rainmakers@gmail.com, and we'll schedule a time to talk.
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