LinkedIn simplifies the Job Search humdrum!

What is the similarity between someone who is looking for a new job, and someone who is looking for someone new to hire? They both ought to be on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn, the “business-oriented Social Networking service” launched in 2003, has over 364 million users as of March 2015.
It is one place for all the information which you would possibly want to share with your future employer(s). There are a whole lot of reasons why there is a visible shift for both employees and employers from job search portals to this particular Social Networking site.

there are 3 business divisions LinkedIn derives its revenues from:

 

Talent Solutions

Recruiters and corporations pay for:

1. A branded corporate page, complete with a ‘careers’ section

2. PPC-through ‘Job’ ads that are targeted to users who match the job profile,

3. Access to the database of LinkedIn users and resumes.

 

Marketing Solutions

LinkedIn Advertisers pay for PPC, through targeted ads.

 

Premium Subscriptions

LinkedIn users pay for:

1. LinkedIn Business for business users

2. LinkedIn Talent for the recruiters

3. LinkedIn Job Seeker for those looking for a job

4. LinkedIn Sales for Sales Professionals

How LinkedIn simplifies job-search:

Here’s a list of 10 reasons why LinkedIn is taking over the Job Search portals and making your life easier, when in search for a new job.

• It is referral-friendly – “connect”
  When you have a particular idol – say, the CEO of a company – who you draw your inspiration from, you can easily learn more about them, and from them, by hitting the ‘follow’ button. Following different companies, receiving notifications about job openings, and offers available, becomes a matter of a click. Job seekers can review the profile of hiring managers and discover which of their existing contacts can introduce them too. LinkedIn thus makes it convenient for employees to identify and connect with others in the same profession that may eventually become an employee referral.
  The list of connections can then be used in a number of ways too, for instance, obtaining introductions to the connections of connections (2^nd degree connections) and connections of 2^nd degree connections (3^rd degree connections).

• Profiles are easily ‘comparable’ and ‘searchable’
  LinkedIn users can easily find jobs, people and business opportunities recommended by someone in one’s contact network. Even with millions of profiles and the possibility of many users having similar names, LinkedIn makes it easy for other users to search for a certain profile.
  When applying to a certain job posting, there’s an option of “Apply with your LinkedIn profile”. Therefore, all you need to do is keep work and experiences up-to-date.
  Comparing the applicants is also made convenient since all the profiles have a single format. LinkedIn makes it easy to search their database on a variety of topics including industry, connections, current and previous companies, job title, location, profession, and education.
• LinkedIn can help you identify when someone is about to begin lookingThe most usual and noticeable signs are updating of profiles – adding experiences, elaborating on job roles, small yet noticeable achievements; these changes often mean that a person is looking forward to a shift in job, or about to start off with searching for new opportunities.Getting in touch with a targeted individual who in the past might have expressed no interest in a job, may get a completely different result when they are considering entering job search mode.
• LinkedIn makes it easy to apply
  LinkedIn allows its users to research companies with which they may be interested in working with. Job Seekers can simply go to the ‘Jobs’ option and search for the openings, as per the profile created and interests of a certain user and click on the “Apply with LinkedIn” button on job listing pages. Job seekers can also ‘Save’, i.e. bookmark jobs that they would like to apply for.
  LinkedIn is relatively easy to learn and master by users, including recruiters and hiring managers. Job recruiters, head hunters, and HR personnel are reportedly increasingly using LinkedIn as a source to find potential candidates. And by using the Advanced search tools, recruiters can find members matching their specific keywords with a click of a button.

• It allows InMail for communications 
  Like mentioned before, Job recruiters make use of the Advanced search tools, and find members matching their specific key words; they then can reach out to the members by sending a request to ‘connect’ or by sending InMail about a specific job opportunity he or she may have.

• It provides recommendations and facilitates introductions If and when additional information on a prospect is required, LinkedIn’s ‘recommendations’ feature can provide additional insights into an individual and what others have experienced when working with them. Also, the “introduction” feature on the site allows employee to introduce a recruiter or another colleague to one of their contacts. These are some unique features which makes LinkedIn far more superior, as compared to other Job search portals. LinkedIn allows its users to endorse each other’s ‘skills’. There is, however, no way of flagging anything other than positive content.
• LinkedIn Groups
  Presence of active Professional Groups is also one of the unique features of LinkedIn which makes it far more superior, as compared to the online Job Search portals. The Business Social Networking site thus seems to have evolved into a professional learning and sharing site. Such Groups also further help in building prominent connections, for future references. Building networks might not be a necessary step for seeking jobs, but it definitely helps in ways. Being mentored by Professionals and stalwarts of the industry is a possibility only via Networking Sites such as LinkedIn.

 

• It is integrated with many other servicesLinkedIn is integrated with sites like SlideShare, wherein users can also view the presentation works of an individual prospect, or even companies, who users are interested in – for an individual seeking jobs or a job recruiter, alike.
  LinkedIn allows users to link with blogs of one’s own choice and it is at least partially integrated with many other platforms including Twitter, Amazon, and Windows Live Messenger, to name a few. As per reports, LinkedIn now helps convert SlideShare audience into Business leads.
• It provides an advertising facilityThe advertising approach may not be as strong as other portals (like Facebook), LinkedIn provides the capability of strategically placing ads covering products or jobs.

• Other Features
  • LinkedIn allows polling – The site provides the capability of polling a large number of individuals on professional issues.
  • Publishing Platform – May 2015, LinkedIn added an analytics tool to its publishing platform. The tool allows authors to better track traffic that their posts receive.
  • Influencers – The LinkedIn Influencers program launched in October 2012 brings together 300+ of the world’s top thought leaders to share their professional insights with LinkedIn’s 259 million members. Influencer is an invite-only program that features notable leaders from a vast range of industries including Richard Branson, Narendra Modi, Arianna Huffington, Greg McKeown, Rahm Emanuel, Jamie Dimon, Martha Stewart, Deepak Chopra, Jack Welch and Bill Gates.