Finding Connections on LinkedIn for your Job Search

by Mary Toomey on December 9th, 2015

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The number and quality of connections you have on LinkedIn matter especially when you are networking to find your next job.   According to a recent JobVite Survey, 95 % of recruiters use LinkedIn to search for candidates.   The more connections you have, the better your chances of networking yourself into your next job.

At MicroTrain, we teach how to connect and stress the importance of connecting on LinkedIn in our monthly LinkedIn workshops.   One of our clients, Yolanda Bryant, had only five connections when she started training at MicroTrain.  She attended the LinkedIn workshop at MicroTrain and started connecting and reacquainting herself with friends, family and past co-workers. Yolanda started conversations about her job search after connecting with her acquaintances.   She received three offers from companies, and she credits it all to making connections on LinkedIn.    

Here are some tips to connect on LinkedIn:

Use the “People you may know” Feature.  This tool suggests people you may have come into contact with based on your jobs, schools, people you may have emailed with, friends of friends. Etc.   If someone you know appears here, send them a personal message and invite them to connect.   Does any of these people work for a company where you would want to work?  They could potentially introduce you to the right people.

When adding connections, always override the canned “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn,” and write a personal note.  No one likes to receive a form letter.  When someone accepts an invitation to join your network,  always write a short message and thank them for connecting with you and suggest that if they ever need anything, to please contact you.   Never write about your needs until establishing a relationship.   Don’t be afraid to keep a conversation going. 

Always respond to messages and invitations promptly, especially regarding jobs.   Timing can be everything.   Make sure you check your homepage on LinkedIn regularly and interact with your connections.  The more you develop a relationship with a connection, the easier it will be for them to remember you in the future.  The next time a job opens up; you will want them to think of you.

Join Groups on LinkedIn that are of profession interest to you so you can begin to see and connect with others in similar careers.  At MicroTrain, we have our own MicroTrain Career Services group.  It is a gateway for individuals who are enrolled, or have completed certification training with MicroTrain to gain access to a myriad of employment-related information including notification of open employment opportunities, MicroTrain Hiring Events, 

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I was laid off for many months and not really getting many callbacks for my resume and no job offers. After I put the letters PMP on it, not only did I see an increase in quantity, but also quality of interviews. I had been spinning my wheels for 5 months, and after the PMP went on, I had 2 job offers in 6 weeks. It really was the "golden ticket"

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A Cisco Success Story

I attended a resume writing seminar & conducted mock phone interviews with a Microtrain career counselor. These two activities gave me a leg up on distinguishing myself from all the other people looking for work. Since the career counselor's at Microtrain had a track record of getting people hired, their insight and positive past experiences helped me tremendously in getting hired with a Cisco Voice Systems Integrator in the Chicago area. I was hired as a Cisco Voice Tech Engineer with a starting salary of $65,000 / year with a Cisco voice systems reseller located in the Chicagoland area. Microtrain was very instramental in making this a reality. From expediting my WIA grant, to providing excellent hands-on training from knowledgable instructors I was able to achieve becoming certified with my CCNP. Microtrain's career services was the final catalyst in connecting me with this company by communicating with them on my behalf and with me in setting up the interview. One week later and I was hired. No joke. Thanks Microtrain!

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Student Employment Success - Project/Process Manager

My Career Services Manager was very friendly and helpful and had excellent follow-up. She seemed to really care how things were going and kept me moving in the right direction. The resources available in job search were great and the visibility that there were jobs out there looking for my skillset was promising. Additionally, the training, as well as having an updated resume stating the Microtrain course work I had taken made me feel more confident and marketable as I looked for employment. It showed that I was dedicated and took project management and process management seriously.

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