Are you on LinkedIn? If you’re serious about searching for a new job then you actually should prepare your LinkedIn profile for the interview. LinkedIn is the mere victorious social networking site committed solely to working professionals. It is your chance to network online, instead to attend stressful group events, and it is a chance for you to show off your resume and try to attract job offers.

But how do you utilize LinkedIn to get a job? There are six key things you require doing to promote yourself effectively on LinkedIn:

1. Develop a Professional Portfolio

Before you add even a single person, develop an incredible portfolio. Showcase your best skills. Use a great photo. Make definite that your profile is already completely prepared. You never know when a decision maker will see your profile. Before you even add your very first connection, make sure your profile is complete.

2. Join Groups

Groups are believed to be one of the best ways to get noticed. You can join your old college alumni group, or groups related to the industry you hope to break into. Groups also give you with updates that you can comment on and the ability to show off your thoughts and expertise.

3. Add Connections

Once you have prepared your profile you can go ahead and add connections. Everyone you’ve ever met could conceivably be a connection. Just make definite that all of the following is true: They remember you, they like you, and you’ve some type of personalized message you can send them. That last part is key – always make certain that your LinkedIn message is friendly and personal, particularly for those that you do not know that well.

4. Follow Companies

Find the agencies that you need to work for and follow them. Many companies post open jobs to their LinkedIn profiles, and if you follow them you can be one of the first people that find a new job when it opens and applies to it. Try to find particular workers you genuinely want to work for, and discover businesses that work in your industry that are unlikely to be followed by thousands of others.

5. Follow Recruiters

Similarly, follow regional recruitment companies. Many of them now give services through LinkedIn and post jobs instantly after getting them. They collect applications, and they will get to know your resume.

6. Apply Off LinkedIn

Ultimately, here is a trick – after speaking with several employers, we discovered that many of them didn’t like reviewing the applications through LinkedIn. Check first to see if they have a link to the job somewhere online so that you can apply through email with your professionally written resume and cover letter, instead of through LinkedIn’s application system. Then, only if you cannot find it, apply through LinkedIn. Your LinkedIn profile will never be as specific as your resume, so see if you can apply through email first.