How to use LinkedIn for internal and external job hunting?
June 10, 2010 6:20 PM Subscribe
How can I use LinkedIn for a broad-based job search?
My current job is being eliminated, but I've been encouraged to apply for related internal positions, and my manager has also suggested that it might also be an opportunity to pursue jobs in a tangentially-related field X as I'm currently halfway through a MS program for X.
One of my internal interviewers is connected to me through LinkedIn, which I'm going to be updating as soon as I finish revising my resume. This is problematic, because she'll be notified when I update my profile and I'm concerned that because you can really only have one profile, altering it to be more appealing to my potential new field might make it a moot point for those internal positions.
So this is a few entwined questions: Should I temporarily remove the interviewer from my contacts, or just wait til post interview to update my LI page with a profile targeted more at moving into my new field than staying where I am? Any pointers on my profile when I'm looking for internships and jobs in the new field - but I'm only halfway through the program and don't yet have much more than class papers to show for it? I don't know how likely it is that I'll even be offered the internal positions or if I really want them... but I don't want to poison the well.
My current job is being eliminated, but I've been encouraged to apply for related internal positions, and my manager has also suggested that it might also be an opportunity to pursue jobs in a tangentially-related field X as I'm currently halfway through a MS program for X.
One of my internal interviewers is connected to me through LinkedIn, which I'm going to be updating as soon as I finish revising my resume. This is problematic, because she'll be notified when I update my profile and I'm concerned that because you can really only have one profile, altering it to be more appealing to my potential new field might make it a moot point for those internal positions.
So this is a few entwined questions: Should I temporarily remove the interviewer from my contacts, or just wait til post interview to update my LI page with a profile targeted more at moving into my new field than staying where I am? Any pointers on my profile when I'm looking for internships and jobs in the new field - but I'm only halfway through the program and don't yet have much more than class papers to show for it? I don't know how likely it is that I'll even be offered the internal positions or if I really want them... but I don't want to poison the well.
Besides this specific point about notifications, some other thoughts about using LinkedIn for job hunting:
- Especially if you work for a large-ish company, you should join the company group
- Use this company group to search for other people in fields you would want to apply to, whether or not there are jobs posted at this moment.
- Contact people who are doing things you want to do, and set up a chance to talk to them (in person, skype, whatever). If and when something comes up, you will be in their mind as someone who is interested in and has the skills for their new position. You might even hear about something before it is posted internally.
- Don't forget to add those people as contacts, and to ask them if they know anyone else you should speak to (this last is a good general rule of networking).
LinkedIn has saved my ass twice now on internal postings in a multinational company. Do not leave your career to chance or HR.
posted by whatzit at 12:03 AM on June 11, 2010 [3 favorites]
- Especially if you work for a large-ish company, you should join the company group
- Use this company group to search for other people in fields you would want to apply to, whether or not there are jobs posted at this moment.
- Contact people who are doing things you want to do, and set up a chance to talk to them (in person, skype, whatever). If and when something comes up, you will be in their mind as someone who is interested in and has the skills for their new position. You might even hear about something before it is posted internally.
- Don't forget to add those people as contacts, and to ask them if they know anyone else you should speak to (this last is a good general rule of networking).
LinkedIn has saved my ass twice now on internal postings in a multinational company. Do not leave your career to chance or HR.
posted by whatzit at 12:03 AM on June 11, 2010 [3 favorites]
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posted by pravit at 6:33 PM on June 10, 2010