8 Groups To Help You Score A Job on Linkedin

Albert Costill

It wasn’t all that long ago that we presented some tips on how to become an all-star on LinkedIn. One of those pieces of advice was the importance of groups. In fact, we recommended that you join at least 50 different groups. Why? Well, that’s rather simple. Not only is that a requirement for all-star status, groups are also one of the best resources on LinkedIn. Not only can groups help you network, you can also discover who’s hiring or even get advice on key elements like how to properly write a resume.

But, which groups should I join on LinkedIn?

That’s probably the most important question you should be asking. For starters, a great place to start is by narrowing down your search by industry and location. So, for example, if you are an accountant in St. Louis, you should join several St. Louis accounting and finance groups.

It also wouldn’t hurt to join any other groups that are related to your field. While that group may be located in another part of the country, it’s still an opportunity to discuss the industry. You may discover the latest trends or some other useful tips that are related to your profession. Also, you could strike up a conversation with an individual who has connections to an influential person in your neck of the woods.

So, you found some groups to join. Now what?

One of the best pieces of advice that you can give you is to join discussions. After all, if you’re not chatting with other people, how else are you going to get noticed? Scroll through a group’s message and look for the topics that interest you. It’s not only a chance to exchange ideas and learn something useful, it’s the best way to engage people who have some influence or connections. In fact, once you join a group, you’ll be able to email members directly.

Another way to make yourself visible within your groups is by starting a new thread. It could be anything from asking a question, sharing a relevant article or simply introducing yourself to the group. This gives you the opportunity to make your presence known, as well as, giving group members a little insight into who you are as an individual and professional.

Finally, if you join a group that is related to your profession, aka a niche group, you might have the chance to get a lead on a potential job opening that either hasn’t been posted yet or widely announced. Striking up a relationship with people who have this kind of information is one of the best reasons to actively participate in groups.

However, there are also a lot of mainstream groups that are just as valuable as though related to your field. When you join these groups, you’ll be making your job hunt much easier by getting updates, job postings, the chance to ask questions and, of course, network. With all that in mind, here are the top 8 LinkedIn groups you need to join if you want to secure a job.

1. JOBS: Job Openings, Job Leads and Job Connections

Here is the largest jobs group on LinkedIn – which you can’t argue with almost 1.7 million members. This group has perfected the art of networking, connecting, and collaborating with it’s extensive network, as well as hosting and sharing insightful job related topics with either articles or discussions. JOBS also assists job seekers with issues like their resumes and allows members to post and search for jobs.

2. A Job Needed – A Job Posted

This is group has self-proclaimed itself as a “career connection group” and has a very serious no spam policy.  What this group does best is connect job seekers with relevant recruiters, as well as locating specific job postings. There are also useful articles that contain tips on resumes, LinkedIn and just the job search process as a whole. A Job Needed – A Job Posted has almost 50,000 and has been helping job seekers since January 11, 2009.

Groups 3-8 and the complete article