You’ve already heard about the importance of using LinkedIn for your job search.

Some job seekers think that having an “All-star” rating on their profile is enough.  It is a good start, but it’s not enough. If you are not actively engaging with your network, then you are invisible.

Recruiters and Hiring Managers are on LinkedIn looking for talent every single day.  If you want to be found by them, you need to be visible to a broad network.

Based on my experience working with thousands of job seekers, here are the top three things you must-do on LinkedIn every day that will help you be seen by the right people:

1. Work toward having 500 connections. The broader your network is, the more people will become aware you are in job transition. This increases your chances of knowing someone in one of your targeted companies who can refer you to a job opening.
2. Visit your LinkedIn home page every day and also check your notifications. These are the two places where you can engage with your #1 and #2 connections. Think of these areas as where your online networking happens. Talk with your connections, share articles, get a sense of what’s trending… and keep an eye out for people talking about job openings. Yes, you should also check out the jobs section, but that actually isn’t your first stop. When people in your network are talking about openings and opportunities, you can step into an active conversation with the key people involved.
3. Actively engage with your connections. Reply to people you are following and comment on articles posted by companies you are targeting. Use a balance of likes, comments, and shares. Just liking a post will not give you the visibility you need in your search. Commenting, however, allows you to share your perspective and develop new relationships. Sharing is a form of goodwill and will show your connections you are thinking of them, which in turn might have them think of you. People will go to your profile because you have showed up on their notifications.

Quick tip: When you comment or share, tag the original poster or the person you are replying to (using the @ and their username). This will increase your visibility!

LinkedIn is an essential part of your job search. If you use the steps above every single day, you will become visible to the people who can help you find the job you’re looking for!