How does LinkedIn work? Secrets to using the platform to advance your career.

Among platforms supporting work and professional networking, LinkedIn has risen to become the leading ecosystem for the professional community worldwide. More than 1 billion users in over 200 countries have been using LinkedIn to find jobs, expand their networks, learn, build personal brands, and develop sustainable careers.

With the increasing rate of online recruitment, understanding and using LinkedIn correctly can be a huge advantage, helping you stand out from thousands of other candidates. A strong investment profile, a quality network, and an effective content strategy can open doors to career opportunities you never thought possible. This article will help you understand what LinkedIn is, why it's important in today's recruitment landscape, and provide professional tips for building an impressive profile that attracts recruiters. If you want to seriously advance your career, LinkedIn is definitely a platform you can't ignore.

1. Learn about LinkedIn

1.1. What is LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is the world's largest professional social network, designed to connect working professionals, organizations, recruiters, and experts in a wide range of fields. LinkedIn's goal isn't for entertainment like Facebook or Instagram, but rather to help users build their personal brand, find career opportunities, enhance their expertise, and expand their professional network.

Unlike traditional social media platforms, LinkedIn focuses on transparency and professionalism. The content shared primarily consists of knowledge, lessons, experiences, job postings, career guidance, or real-world projects you've participated in. This platform helps you project an image of someone who is active, learning, and continuously developing in their work.

1.2. What is a LinkedIn profile?

Your LinkedIn profile is your personal profile on this platform. It's similar to an extended CV, where you record your entire education, work experience, skills, achievements, certifications, projects, and career aspirations. However, unlike a static CV, a LinkedIn profile is interactive, constantly updated, and supported by social networking elements such as post interactions, connections, referrals, or skill endorsements from others.

A complete and detailed LinkedIn profile greatly influences how well you are seen and evaluated by recruiters. Therefore, investing in building your profile is a mandatory step if you want to make the most of this platform.

1.3. What is LinkedIn Learning?

LinkedIn Learning is an online course library owned by LinkedIn, offering thousands of high-quality courses in fields such as design, technology, marketing, data analytics, soft skills, project management, leadership, and many other specialties. Each course is developed by leading industry experts and comes with a certificate upon completion.

Many employers value certifications from LinkedIn Learning for their up-to-date content, expertise, and credibility. Learning on this platform helps you enhance your knowledge, demonstrate proactiveness, and build a professional profile.

1.4. What is LinkedIn InMail?

InMail is LinkedIn's direct messaging feature that lets you send messages to people who aren't on your network. It's a powerful tool for networking, reaching out to recruiters, or messaging professionals you admire.

InMail is usually only available in the Premium plan. Thanks to this tool, you can reach exactly the people you need and send professional messages, instead of having to wait for them to agree to connect first.

1.5. What is Industry LinkedIn?

LinkedIn's Industry represents the professional field of a user or organization. This is a crucial factor that helps LinkedIn categorize and suggest relevant connections, content, and job opportunities. By updating your Industry correctly, you will:

• Receive relevant job offers
• Appear in employer searches in the right field
• Receive professional-relevant learning content or articles

Industry is one of the factors that helps the LinkedIn algorithm understand who you are and who to refer you to.

1.6. What is LinkedIn Premium?

LinkedIn Premium is an advanced version of LinkedIn designed for professionals, offering many special features to help you increase your career opportunities. Some notable benefits include:

• See who has viewed your profile
• Use InMail to message people you haven't connected with
• Access the entire LinkedIn Learning course library
• View detailed statistics on how competitive your application was

LinkedIn Premium is especially useful for job seekers, HR professionals, sales people, and anyone looking to improve their personal brand.

2. Why is LinkedIn the preferred application for recruitment?

LinkedIn has become the number one recruitment tool today. Many companies, from small businesses to large corporations, prioritize using this platform in their candidate search. One of the biggest reasons is its ability to access transparent, up-to-date profiles that clearly showcase candidates' actual abilities.

Employers don't just look at CVs; they also evaluate social media activity, posts, knowledge sharing, skill testimonials, and professional connections. These factors help them better understand an applicant's work style, mindset, personality, and suitability for the job. This is something that traditional CVs struggle to fully convey.

LinkedIn also saves recruiters time by allowing them to filter candidates by skills, experience, geographic location, or industry. Thanks to its optimized algorithms, businesses can easily reach the right people with the right skills in a short amount of time.

In addition, the trend of hidden jobs, representing over 70% of job opportunities not publicly posted, also primarily occurs on LinkedIn. Thanks to the relationships between recruiters and the professional community, many job offers are sent directly via InMail or personal connections.

LinkedIn is more than just a job posting platform; it's where recruiters "observe" and select potential candidates. This is why you should carefully craft your profile.

3. Main functions of LinkedIn

LinkedIn boasts numerous features designed to support users' career development needs. One of the platform's strengths is its ability to blend social networking and professional environments, allowing users to not only interact but also learn, build profiles, and connect with the right people.

Your personal profile page is where you introduce yourself through a photo, job title, description, skills, experience, and project list. This is the crucial first touchpoint when a recruiter approaches you.

The Feed helps you keep track of community posts, knowledge sharing, or industry-related updates. LinkedIn content is more specialized than on other social media platforms, allowing you to expand your knowledge quickly.

The job search feature allows you to view and apply directly. Many large companies now only post job openings on LinkedIn before posting them on other platforms. By optimizing your profile, you can receive suitable job offers without actively searching.

LinkedIn also offers advanced search tools that help you connect with employers, professionals, colleagues, or industry influencers. This opens the door to building a broad and high-quality professional network.

LinkedIn Groups provide a space for exchange, questions, and learning with people in similar fields. This is where you can connect, learn, and stay up-to-date on new trends.

4. A compilation of tips for using LinkedIn professionally.

Choose an impressive title.

The subject line of your LinkedIn profile is one of the first things recruiters see when reviewing your profile. A good subject line shouldn't just state your current job title, but also subtly showcase your expertise and career goals. Choose a concise and impactful description that effectively conveys the value you can bring.

Instead of simply writing "Graphic Designer," you could be more specific, such as "Graphic Designer specializing in branding and visual content creation." This distinction helps recruiters quickly understand what you do and what role you're best suited for.

Focusing on career goals

If you have a clear career path, LinkedIn is a great place to follow successful people in your industry, companies you aspire to work for, or relevant professional groups. Regularly checking their activity will help you learn, stay up-to-date on trends, and feel more confident when applying for jobs.

You can also contact experienced people directly to ask questions or exchange ideas. LinkedIn is a social network for professional networking, so sending a polite message is always encouraged.

Expand your network of connections.

Networking is a valuable asset in your career. LinkedIn allows you to connect with friends, colleagues, instructors, experts, and even people you've never met in person but who share your field. These relationships can lead to unexpected career opportunities.

When you're looking for a job, following HR professionals or recruiters will give you faster access to information. Many opportunities appear for only a few hours and then disappear without a trace.

Take advantage of the nomination feature.

LinkedIn allows you to find people through shared connections. This is a huge advantage, making it easier to get referred to the right people. When an acquaintance refers you to a recruiter or manager, the chances of getting a response are much higher than contacting them yourself.

Track potential employers.

The Advanced People Search feature helps you find the right hiring manager, department head, or influential person within the company you want to work for. Learning about their interests, the groups they participate in, or their posts can help you better prepare for the interview.

Updating information and sharing knowledge

An inactive profile typically has a low visibility rate. Sharing knowledge, lessons, projects, or professional experiences helps you appear regularly on the feed. This helps connections remember you and creates more opportunities for interaction.

Employers also appreciate candidates who are eager to learn and share. They value individuals who invest in their personal brand and are actively involved in the community.

Assessing the true role of LinkedIn

LinkedIn is very useful, but you shouldn't rely on it completely. Real-world networking, face-to-face communication, and genuine experience remain crucial for sustainable growth. LinkedIn is a supporting tool, not your entire career.

Join the group and participate in the discussion.

LinkedIn's professional groups are a hub for people with shared passions and career goals. They're an ideal environment for learning, exchanging experiences, and building your personal reputation. Participating in discussions allows you to showcase your knowledge and expand your network naturally.

Verification and record keeping

Regularly update your profile to ensure all information regarding your work experience, skills, and achievements is accurate. Adding new skills and obtaining endorsements from colleagues makes your profile more credible.

A regularly updated profile will be prioritized by LinkedIn's algorithm for display and will also create a more favorable impression with recruiters.

LinkedIn is not just a place to find a job; it's a platform for building your personal brand, expanding your network, and developing your career long-term. By knowing how to utilize its features and applying professional tips, you can easily make an impression and stand out in the eyes of recruiters.