Be strategic when it comes to LinkedIn. Understanding how to use LinkedIn to your benefit can have a big payoff. According to Richard van der Blom, having a strong profile can result in 30-40% more reach and a higher ranking in search results. Who wouldn’t want that?

LinkedIn has 774 million users. That is a lot. But it is small compared to the 2.89 billion users on Facebook or the 1.86 billion users of YouTube. Many people do not think of LinkedIn when they think of social media powerhouses. But you really should think again, especially if you are interested in advancing your career. LinkedIn is powerful for building connections and learning about your profession or industry.

Many people don't know where they should focus their efforts on LinkedIn. Should they post content? Connect with others? Or should they start commenting on peoples' posts? All of these are important. But before you do any of this, I believe your priority should be to get your profile completed with impactful information.

But there is a "right" and "wrong" way to be on LinkedIn. Are you committing any of these LinkedIn "don'ts" that may be hindering your job search?

So if you do not want to have a social media presence and just want to apply online, your lack of social media presence will probably not be held against you. Remember, though, that a lack of social media presence will make it harder for people to find you.

Career Path Insights helps LinkedIn users to map their current skills to potential jobs. This is a great tool to help those who want to make a career pivot or move up within their profession.

Stories are just another avenue to build personal connections and to promote yourself. As a job seeker, it gives you additional visibility. It also may allow you to share more about the personal side of yourself.

The social part of being on a social media platform is interacting with others. Since LinkedIn is geared toward business, it is an excellent place to find people who can help with your job search or work in companies where you would like to find a position. Building a robust network can allow you to find job opportunities and build relationships with decision-makers.

The first thing you should do on LinkedIn is to fill out your profile information. You want to maximize the opportunity within the profile to tell your story. You want the information you provide to emphasize your experience, skills, and accomplishments.