subject: Job Search Technique - Find Managers on LinkedIn [print this page] Job Search Technique - Find Managers on LinkedIn
Over 65 million professionals are on LinkedIn today. So, millions and possibly tens of millions of the career leaders you may need to know are part of this burgeoning social professional network. What's more, the network clearly is responsible for placing tens of thousands and perhaps even millions of professionals in their current position or will lead to placement in a position in the near future. With that kind of effectiveness, there is no question that you should be using this tool to identify the manager you need to find to land the job you desire.
So... Now that we've underscored the irrevocable need for you to use LinkedIn, just how do you identify the manager you need to contact for the job you most desire?
First, start with exactly what are you looking for in your next position. This implies several steps:
Put together a great resume that lays out clearly for you and for hiring managers what you bring to the table--your marketing document.
Identify any experiences you have that aren't on your resume that may become important during an interview or after you have been hired.
Review who you have worked for over your career - both individuals and companies.
Identify companies that you feel are a good fit.
Note individuals that you think might play a role in landing your next position.
Identify positions and titles of individuals that you see as your next manager, executive, or hiring manager.
You should join as many industry- and skill-related groups as possible to increase your communications access to related professionals.
You should seek to expand your network as much as possible along career, company, and education lines.
Once you've completed these steps, you are prepared to start finding the managers that are your objective.
(By the way, LinkedIn will let you see a great deal, but you won't have full network visibility without premium membership. This may not be necessary or even worthwhile, but this is a fact you should be aware of during your job search.)
Executing the search:
The search for managers is reasonably straightforward. The search should be executed as follows:
Search your own network for contacts, completing searches by each job title and by each company you are interested in finding.
Perform searches within the groups you have joined by each job title and by each company.
Finally, perform searches in the general people search area again by title and by company.
With your set identified (and this may include thousands of individuals), you can begin to reach out, establishing contact and seeking leads to hiring managers and open opportunities that may fit your experience.
Should your field be narrow and the results more limited than you like, you can expand the search by considering related companies and titles that may have something in common with your target roles. For example, lenders will know real estate principals, doctors will know nursing managers, and so on.
In short, with 65,000,000 professional contacts at your fingertips, there are many opportunities for you to generate significant sources of managers to contact.
