Research has shown that looking for a job/ losing a job is one of the top 10 stressors in life; and if you have ever been in search of a new job or new career, you can attest to the amount of time and energy that needs to be devoted to making the right move.
LinkedIn is working to help you streamline your search while leveraging your professional networks. Recently, they redesigned their site to make job searching more efficient. Based on your resume, job searches, and companies and in your network, LinkedIn highlights and recommends jobs you may be interested in. The simple layout provides a quick snapshot of what’s available in your field.
When you access the jobs tab in LinkedIn, you’ll first notice the jobs you might be interested in at the top of the page. The business networking site displays the most recently posted jobs on the front page for you to review and click into for further detail. From there, you can go to your saved searches to refine your criteria based on your network relationships, companies, location, and keywords. This allows a customized approach to the search and removes the clutter that is unproductive in getting to your next interview.
The bottom section of the jobs tab provides you a list of companies, along with contacts in your network that you might call upon to introduce you to a new opportunity. This tool can be a great way to connect you with an organization that you feel would be a great fit with your personal brand. After researching a company on websites like Glassdoor, which gives you great insight into a company’s culture, mission, and vision, then you can find out who in your LinkedIn network can open the door for you. This section also provides you a link to the companies with open jobs to explore opportunities that match your professional skills.
While the process of job hunting can be extremely daunting, sites like LinkedIn are actively working to make the process faster and more efficient. In addition, as an alum of the David Eccles School of Business, you have a fantastic resource available to assist in the job hunt. The University of Utah’s Alumni Career Services offers things like, a career coach, webinars, and other job-search tools to help you find the position that’s right for you.