LinkedIn Now #1 Tool Used by Recruiters

It seems that everywhere I turn these days I’m hearing and reading that LinkedIn has become the go-to resource for recruiters in searching for talent to fill their assignments.

Multiple surveys indicate that employers consult LinkedIn to find candidates BEFORE they go to to either the traditional job boards or search sites, and preferentially over Facebook and Twitter as well. LinkedIn has also been identified by JobVite Inc. as the most popular tool recruiters use to research candidates, publish jobs at no cost, obtain referrals, and direct-source candidates.

Getting a simple profile up on LinkedIn will not take you more than an hour, and you can also seek out professional assistance in optimizing your profile. But to really leverage the power of LinkedIn, you’ll want to join industry, professional, and interest groups on the site and participate actively. This will indirectly position you on the radar screens of recruiters, an approach that is much preferred to approaching recruiters directly with resume in hand.

From what I have seen in just the last few months, I have become a true believer in the power of LinkedIn for executive career management and job search. So much so that I am contemplating enrollment in an in-depth program upcoming in the new year, to become a certified LinkedIn career strategist. I’ll be keeping my clients and readers apprised of learnings from that program.

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