Why is LinkedIn a useful platform for teachers and careers advisors?

At the end of 2019, there were just over 675 million users on LinkedIn. This figure represents a third of all the professionals in the world. Business to business, business to consumer, start-ups, professionals and influencers. It’s certainly a great place for teachers and career advisors.

It is what I specialise in. So in this blog, I will tell you how you can make the most of it!

- To network with peers, alumni and organisations. LinkedIn is the ultimate social networking site and connecting with fellow educators and career advisors can open up opportunities for continued professional growth and development.

- To find a new employer (paid / internship / apprenticeship / voluntary work). When applying for a new role, recruiters will check all of your social media accounts. Being visible on LinkedIn should work in your favour. A professional profile listing all of your teaching or career experience to date will make you stand out for all the right reasons. A well optimised profile reflects how serious a candidate is about their personal brand.

- To research and gather market intelligence. LinkedIn is a structured, information rich database which is searchable by Google and its own search engine.

- To find new professionals and businesses to collaborate with. There are some fantastic LinkedIn Groups for educators. In these groups you can ask questions, engage in discussions and stay in the loop regarding developments in your profession. You can also follow company pages of professional bodies / schools and universities to see the latest updates.

- To establish yourself as an expert by answering questions and posting on your preferred subject – you can do this in groups and on the home feed.

1.The power of first impression
2.Tailoring your profile to your objectives
3.Profile completion

LinkedIn will allow you to:
- connect with recruiters
- build your professional network
- bypass gatekeepers
- build your online personal brand (digital footprint)
- connect with decision makers
- reach employers directly

LinkedIn is a platform where you can really showcase your experience and expertise and is the perfect accompaniment to your CV.

In the current climate of change a lot of professionals will be revisiting their values and career goals. A teacher or career advisor can provide support to those professionals who wish to change direction to create an authentic and fulfilling career. They can reach these professionals in 3 main ways:

1. The LinkedIn home feed (comments, posts, articles, videos, shares etc.)
2. LinkedIn messenger (1:1 message, group messages, audio messages or video messages)
3. LinkedIn Groups (either on the home feed or by reaching out directly to members)

When joining a social network, you should always consider whether your target audience are on it or not. Otherwise you could be wasting valuable time. Teachers / Career Advisors – your target audience are 100% on LinkedIn and they need your help so hopefully I’ve convinced you to start polishing up those LinkedIn profiles and connecting with finesse.

About Jennifer Corcoran
As an award-winning social media influencer, Jennifer Corcoran knows a thing or two about leaving her comfort zone behind. She uses her experience to help others achieve sustained visibility and success.

Jennifer is more than a skilled social media scheduler or self-pronounced “Expert”. Her talent and hard work are evident in her list of qualifications and awards, making her one of the UK’s most successful LinkedIn trainers. As a Pitman-accredited LinkedIn trainer, she has qualified in LinkedIn and Social media for business. Her expertise is evident in her list of prestigious awards such as Social Media Influencer of the Year in the Venus Awards. She has also been spotlighted in national campaigns such as F-Entrepreneur and holds 1st place on the #LinkedInRockstars list.

Learn more about Jennifer and her work at MySuperConnector.co.uk.