Recruiters succeed when they identify candidates who are both qualified and a strong fit. Yet many job seekers overlook a powerful LinkedIn strategy: searching for, researching, and connecting with recruiters in their target industry or company. Building these connections creates a win-win opportunity for both job seekers and recruiters.

Most job seekers allow their LinkedIn headlines to default to current or past job titles, which does nothing to sell them. A good headline tells the reader (recruiters!) what role you’re targeting and what your value-add is for that role. Example: “E-commerce & Digital Marketing Strategist – 16 Years in Product & Brand Marketing via Email, Social Media, Website Content & Digital Advertising.

Many job seekers treat LinkedIn like an online resume, but it works best when you use it for networking and showcasing your voice and knowledge, not just copying your work history. Research companies, find key people, send thoughtful connection requests, and participate in discussions!

The People tab on a LinkedIn company page is a top strategy for building company-specific micro networks. Filter by location (city/region), role (data science), university (alumni connection), etc. Study profiles for conversation hooks: posts, projects, shared interests, etc. Use this intel to send a personal, low-pressure message to start building trust and boosting warm referral chances.

Learn how to optimize your visibility to employers: Make a list of target companies, follow each company page, turn on the notification bell, turn on the company job alert, connect to people who work at the company (10 is a good number), engage on company content/posts, and select “Open to Work” (private to recruiters). You may also have the option to turn on “Interested in Working at Company.