Cornell Bowers College of Computing and Information Science

LinkedIn

Create a Profile, Tips, LinkedIn vs Handshake

LinkedIn Tips 

Create a LinkedIn profile 

The Cornell Career Guide has some great tips on creating a linked in profile. 

Using LinkedIn for Job Search

Linked in is not the most effective if you simply hit the “apply with LinkedIn” button without updating your profiles for the position you are applying.  Sometimes your LinkedIn profile matches what you are applying for but many times it does not.

If you have applied for many positions without hearing anything back then look at updating your profile more closely.   Some believe it saves them time to just click “apply now” and it "feels" as if you are accomplishing something in a short period of time but it does not unless you update your profile according to what you are applying for.

LinkedIn is useful in many ways but is not a substitute for a resume tailored specifically to a job description.   If you have the opportunity to upload a tailored resume then do so.  If the company has stated a cover letter is optional it is a good idea to include one.  This article is a bit older but I think it has some good tips. http://careerrocketeer.com/2013/11/should-you-use-your-resume-or-profile-when-applying-to-jobs-on-linkedin.html

Tip: Check for positions using various key words.   Try searching only what has been posted in the past week and then once a week go in and check to see what has been added. 

LinkedIn vs Handshake  LinkedIn is a good networking tool but for the application process it is a bit different than say Handshake. One reason is you can’t choose to upload from several different profiles/resumes.  It is also too easy to click "apply now using LinkedIn profile" as mentioned above. Good idea to use both tools when searching for work. In fact, it’s a good idea to use several different tools when searching for work.

If I apply for a job with LinkedIn profile how does it affect my LinkedIn feed?  (For example, do more jobs pop up that are similar to ones you’ve applied to?  Here is an article on what employers see when you apply to their job.