LinkedIn remains the dominant social network for professionals, including those involved in the world of STEM. If you don’t already have a LinkedIn account, you need to rectify that situation immediately. Many workers use LinkedIn essentially as an online résumé, listing their work experience, significant professional accomplishments, in addition to their technical and business abilities.
Let’s take a look at a few tips to ensure you are getting the most out of your LinkedIn account.
Join and be Active in a LinkedIn Group
Joining and staying active in any LinkedIn Groups specific to your job discipline is a great way to network. Take a look at the profiles of other members of the group to see if connecting with them may be beneficial to your career. Position yourself as a leader in your industry by writing articles or blog posts and sharing them with other members of the group.
Broadcast your Activity on LinkedIn
While in many cases it benefits your career to keep your social networking activity private, with LinkedIn the opposite is true. If you leave LinkedIn’s Activity Broadcast setting to “On,” more users are notified of your profile changes, Group activity, and other postings. Broadcasting these notifications makes them more likely to check out your profile, which helps your networking potential.
Leverage Outside Sources when Searching for other LinkedIn Users
When you are searching for a LinkedIn profile for someone in your field, sometimes you won’t be able to view their profile if they are a 3rd level connection — this usually requires a premium account. When this happens, log out of LinkedIn and try and search for them using Google or another search engine — include both their name and their employer’s name in the search query. In many cases, their full profile will be visible, helping your research activity.
Working with an experienced staffing agency in the STEM disciplines is another great way to enhance your career prospects. One of the leading STEM staffing companies in the Eastern United States, Scientific Search has the recruiters on hand to ensure your career is on the right path. Send them an email or give them a call today — maybe even check out the company on LinkedIn?
