5 Ways You Can Use LinkedIn to Accelerate Your Career

‍

by Valerie Mekki

Creating content on LinkedIn may seem confusing to you. You might be asking the question, "Isn't LinkedIn just a platform to look and apply for jobs?".

Nope.

Linkedin is the perfect place for content creation for job seekers and anyone starting their career. In late 2020, LinkedIn saw a 50% increase in post engagement. Talk about perfect timing to jump into the content creation mix!

Your resume might not have a lot of experience just yet, but creating content on LinkedIn can help paint a fuller picture of who you are, your interests and showcase your knowledge on the subject.

By creating content on LinkedIn, you are adding life to your profile by sending the right signals to the right people who can help you land your dream job.

We list the top five ways creating content on LinkedIn can accelerate your career, create an opportunity to land a new job, and set you up for an exciting path.

Control your narrative

You can learn how to put together an excellent resume and cover letter, but the rest is up to the important stakeholders to reply back. There is only so much you can do or control.

But what if you had the chance to showcase who you are, your uniqueness, and your interests?

You can achieve this with content creation.

Creating content allows you to be the author, director, and photographer of your story- you have all the creative ownership.

Creating content allows you to be the author, director, and photographer of your story- you have all the creative ownership. You are in charge of building your personal brand in your own voice, style, and format (we share the different types of posts a little further below).

‍

Gain more visibility

Wouldn't it be great if recruiters came to you and not the other way around?

But if you are an early career professional or searching for a job in a highly competitive space- chances are, your visibility is probably on the lower end.

However, you can increase your chances of getting noticed by posting consistently. Only 1% out of 740 million users actively post on LinkedIn. You can be part of that 1% and stand out from the competition.

But to post consistently, you need to find out which format you feel naturally inclined to produce.

LinkedIn has a pretty equal level playing field of visibility when it comes to the format of your post. Your posts can be either:

• Text (Posts & Articles)
• Images
• Video
• SlideShare (Carousel)

Here are some fun facts about each format:

• Written posts with 1900-2000 words received a higher view count based on a study by OkDork. Want to go deep into a subject? Try using the article feature. All articles written on LinkedIn can show up on search engine results, more visibility!
• Images have a 98% increased rate for commenting compared to a post without a photo. If you love to capture the moment that tells a story, share it and start a conversation, this will definitely help gain more visibility to your profile.
• Video has x5 more engagement than a regular content post. A great format to show your personality in an instant.
• SlideShare (Carousel) is the perfect format to showcase your expertise on a subject matter. Break down a topic you are knowledgeable about and share it with your audience—an excellent format to show your presentation skills.

Find your community

LinkedIn's mission statement is to "connect the world's professionals to make them productive and successful." In 2019, LinkedIn updated its algorithm to show posts of people you know and relevant content to your engagement.

““People you know, talking about the things you care about.” ”

— Pete Davies, Senior Product Manager at LinkedIn

LinkedIn's mission statement and algorithm are designed to make and sustain connections, making it easy to find a community of like-minded people.

Creating content based on your interests and passions will attract people who align with your content and topics of interest.

The quality of your network is just as important as the quantity. You will gain more value from a smaller engaging network than a largely silent one.  

Make an impact

We are gathered on one platform, but each has a story to tell of how we got here, and your story matters too.

The LinkedIn audience celebrates stories about rejections, failure, and adversity. You don’t need work experience or a specific background to share your life lessons. Stories from childhood and experiences of job loss/rejections are universal and can create camaraderie.  You never know who could be reading your posts and its impact on someone's day or their perspective.

“Storytelling is a powerful way to make people care about products, brands, and causes.”

— -Shane Snow, journalist, and co-founder of Contently

Shane produced a LinkedIn Learning video on how to become a powerful storyteller. A valuable skill that anyone can master with practice and consistency.

Compound your opportunities

While you are busy creating high-quality and valuable content on LinkedIn, just know that people interested in your stories, insights, and ideas will want to invite you into their world. These opportunities can include:

• Invitations to organizations
• Podcasts
• Live stream shows
• Speaking engagements

When you start to create content on LinkedIn, it's not only being seen by recruiters and hiring managers; it's an invitation to connect with people and organizations who are looking for content creators like you.

Creating content creates opportunities.

So there you have it: five major upsides to creating content on LinkedIn. You no longer have to watch by the sidelines, hoping for an opportunity to happen. You can create your own opportunities.

About Writer

Valerie Mekki is a freelance SEO writer and blogger for Oh, hello work life- a blog dedicated to helping professionals create their own opportunities at work or with a side hustle business.

‍