Social media giant LinkedIn has proved a hit with millions through seamlessly connecting employers and job seekers on its network-building platform. But could using LinkedIn actually damage your job prospects?
New research from emlyon business school in France has found that those who excessively use LinkedIn to find jobs fare worse than those who adopt a more considered approach.
Nikos Bozionelos, professor of international human resources management who led the research, explains how the scatter-gun approach that many LinkedIn users deploy doesn’t help when looking for work.
“People who prioritise professional social media platforms like LinkedIn as a way to find a job tend to spend disproportionate amounts of time searching and sending out applications and are less selective in the jobs they choose to enquire about or apply to,” he says.
“As a consequence, there is less chance of identifying those jobs that suit them best and they have less time to prepare their application well to maximise their chances to succeed.”
A less aggressive approach was found to be more favorable. This includes spending time to carefully select job openings that were relevant to the applicant’s skillset, and spending time preparing a convincing and attractive application that is tailored to that specific role.
LinkedIn is still important
As well as interviewing young professionals, the research group also surveyed recruiters, hiring managers, and HR professionals. What emerged is that networking sites like LinkedIn are still important to recruiters.
Source: emlyon business school
71% said that an applicant’s LinkedIn is still of interest to recruiters, even if they haven’t applied through LinkedIn. 78%, moreover, said that LinkedIn was more useful as a networking site that could yield future job prospects, as opposed to a site for finding a job.
“Putting a name to a face and having general conversation increases the chances of being informed about or applying for a job that fits their skills, experience and desires. This is more effective than just applying for any job that is loosely related to their desires or skills,” Nikos explains.
Recruiters also advise healthy use of the site, encouraging self-promotion and personal branding in moderation, to make you more accessible to recruiters.
Networking in a time of crisis
The current MBA jobs market is not looking bright: 28% of employers believe there are too many applicants for too few jobs, while 61% are either ‘not very confident’ or ‘not confident at all’ in the current jobs market. With this economic uncertainty, networking remains a crucial tool for jobseekers.
LinkedIn and other networking sites can certainly play a part in building and maintaining a stable and reliable network during a crisis, but networking should go deeper than just having the most connections.
Cesar Aya, who graduated from Said Business School at the University of Oxford during the 2008 financial crisis, remembers how useful a close business school network proved to be.
“It’s important to devote a lot of time to create meaningful networks, not just expanding your LinkedIn network with weak links, but having smaller and more meaningful networks.
“People that really know you, know who you are, what you have done, and who you can ask for help—for an endorsement, for getting a job, or introductions to someone who might invest in your idea. That's more meaningful than a wide network of weaker links.”
Building connections through networking at business school, combined with a strategic job-hunting approach on LinkedIn, is the best way to ensure job application success.
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I decided to do my exchange in Emlyon because I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, and I found a space with very capable People.. participatory, empathetic and full of leadership. I will never forget Lyon, apart from giving me an unforgettable experience, he gave me great friends
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23/11/2021
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A lot of opportunities professionally and socially. A unique program in France.
You can choose your courses and do your internship, exchange whenever you want. It's flexible and adapted to the needs of each student. A great program and a great city! Professionally, it opens a lot of doors for you to find internships or jobs in France or abroad thanks to the network and career events.
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7/06/2020
MSc in Digital Marketing
Combining both worlds into one, this course gave me all the on-demand technical skills in data science while maintaining a business-oriented approach. Thanks to the strong academic profile of this university I was able to secure an internship and full-time job at Amazon.
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14/10/2018
Top Business School fostering innovative entrepreneurs
EMLyon is one of the best business schools. The campuses, associations and courses offered provide the students with the best options to build the future they have chosen. The various opportunities to study and work abroad also offer a deeper understanding of the world, not only economy-wise but social, which helps the student become as well a better individual and not only a pre-formated business school student.
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9/06/2020
Emlyon campus in Paris
It has a great international community and you have access to many international tools, courses and professors. I had many networking events and workshops for students. Campus and some details of the program could have been improved or need to be bigger in order to have a better student life.
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21/11/2022
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Entrepreneurship
Overall good content and good activities.
Lack of administration but still ok.
Good flexibility and liberty offered to the students. Finally, the amount of internship is also a good way to improve qualifications.
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25/05/2020
Good Reputation and International Business School
The course was not well adapted but it was up to the mark.
The professors are very well experienced and their experience comes in handy while working on assignments.
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It’s been full of exposure and great connections. From Lyon to London, Paris, Los Angeles and Las Vegas! Truly an exceptional way to discover the world of hospitality.
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11/07/2024
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Real networking opportunities
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14/07/2024
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white baccalaureate in the world of work
I really appreciated the MS SDAI as a whole. The teaching staff, the different subjects, the university exchange, TEM... I started my internship in a consulting firm having acquired a solid foundation. Downside for CentraleSupélec, which I found far too academic for a program such as this.
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11/09/2024
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Great
Pretty great !
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