How to find the best candidates on LinkedIn

With over 740 million users in more than 200 countries and territories across the globe, LinkedIn is the undisputed leader when it comes to career networking websites. But with that amount of users to sift through, and some challenging positions to fill, how do busy procurement and supply chain businesses find the best candidates to fit the roles? 

This blog will talk you through a few tricks and tips for cutting through the noise and finding the top talent that will move your business forward. From choosing the right search tactics to identifying credible testimonials, read on to discover how to find the best candidates on LinkedIn. 

Use the right keywords

The keywords or search terms you use will help you narrow down your list from the get-go. Try using the job title and location to start with, then add additional filters such as education level or qualifications and any other relevant fields. If you are looking for procurement and supply chain candidates in a specific field, you could try using the name of the sector or add in the brand name of a respected employer. If you have ongoing recruitment needs, and a budget at your disposal, you could also use LinkedIn Recruiter, a paid search tool, to view candidates that have specifically stated they are open to new opportunities. 

Don’t despair if you can’t find the right candidates on LinkedIn straight away. If you need some extra advice or support in finding the right people, contact us today. We are US-based procurement and supply chain experts and we would love to help. 

Search using hashtags

Hashtags aren’t as fully integrated or popular within LinkedIn as they are on Twitter or Instagram, but they are worth a try when you’re looking for your #idealcandidate. 

When you are advertising positions on your LinkedIn profile consider adding a hashtag or two. There are a number of well-established, all-encompassing hashtags such as #careers, #jobsearch and #hiring. But you might want to try narrowing it down to the locality or sector i.e #MichiganJobs or #ProcurementJobs. Take a look at what others in your industry are doing and try a few for size. 

Use the ‘People also viewed’ functionality

The ‘people also viewed’ feature shows a selection of LinkedIn members based on a number of factors that suggest they are of interest to you and your company. This could include similarities in job titles, companies or sectors to the people or brands you have viewed before. You’ll find this feature on the right-hand side of the desktop version of LinkedIn. 

Clarify what you are looking for

Too often, we expect our ideal candidates to be everything to everyone. This approach is unlikely to be successful, particularly when you are searching a pool as large as LinkedIn. Decide on three or four must-have requirements and work from there. 

Keep an open mind

Thinking outside the box is important when searching for your dream candidate. Try to keep in mind that not every candidate has the time to keep their profile up to date and perfect. Ideally, the information should be 100% optimized and up to date, but life happens and the person behind the profile may have really good reasons why they haven’t managed the content better. Furthermore, some people are simply not good at blowing their own trumpet - and likewise, some are far too good at blowing a lot of hot air with very little substance to support it! 

Try to focus on the actual achievements within the profile, and get a sense of the passion the person has for their job or sector, rather than the number of superlatives or puff words they use. 

Check the referrals

Clearly, people can request referrals from pretty much anyone they are connected with, but this shouldn’t devalue them as a trust indicator in general. Look at the content of the reviews but also take into account the relationship between the potential candidate and the referee. If they have worked closely with them, or known them in a credible professional capacity for a substantial amount of time this should indicate there is some integrity to the relationship and that the testimonial is reliable. 

We hope you have found this article on how to find the best candidates on LinkedIn useful and informative. Don’t forget that the team here at Bramwith is happy to help so please do get in touch if you are looking to grow your team in 2022 and beyond.