How to Use LinkedIn To Prepare For A Job Interview

Landing the perfect job takes more than a well-written resume. Your performance in the job interview is key to getting hired at the company of your choice. Use tools found on the LinkedIn Web site to prepare for your job interview and put your best foot forward.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet connection
• LinkedIn account

Use Your Contacts to Prepare for Your Interview

1. Log in to your LinkedIn account from the home page and use the "Get Leads" feature to find contacts within the company you are interviewing with (see Resources below).
2. Enter the company name in the "Get Inside Contacts At:" field and hit the "Go" button.
3. See names displayed under the "Your Network" tab. These are individuals who are connected through your immediate or extended network of LinkedIn contacts.
4. Find each individual's name, job title and current place of employment listed, as well as their past employers. A person's relationship to your network is displayed through the "1st" and "2nd" icons and the number of connections the person has within LinkedIn is displayed within the circle at the end of the brief profile.
5. Click on the link for an individual to get introduced. Even non-subscription or basic members of LinkedIn are allotted a certain number of introductions and "InMails" to get in touch with people outside their immediate network.
6. Prepare for your interview by finding out more about the company from its employees using LinkedIn introductions to begin a dialogue.

Research Your Prospective Employer on LinkedIn

7. Click on the "People" tab to search for other job postings offered by the company you are interviewing with.
8. Perform an advanced search by entering the company name in the corresponding field and hitting the "Search" button.
9. See names of individuals within and outside your network who work with or have worked with this company. Use LinkedIn to contact them for more information.

Find Answers to Your Questions About Common Interview Quandaries on LinkedIn

10. Ask the experts on job interviews for tips by clicking on the "Answers" tab from your LinkedIn home page.
11. Type your question in the "Ask A Question" field and hit the "Ask Question" button.
12. Read the advice and tips provided by fellow LinkedIn members after you submit your question.

Tips & Warnings

• Get more information on using LinkedIn to find or land a job at the LinkedIn Help & FAQ page on Jobs Seeking (see Resources below).
• Other users of LinkedIn should never ask you for your log in and password information. Keeping this information confidential is essential to the privacy and security of your account.