Using LinkedIn for OP Job Searches

By Nikita Mikhailov

LinkedIn is a very interesting platform connecting the professionals across a variety of fields in one place.

So when it comes to Occ Psych job search, here are some steps you can take to make the most of it…

1. Connect

If you have a particular application of Occ Psych in mind e.g. Psychometric development, coaching, etc… Just search for people already doing this and send a connect invite (you can also customize the invite). You can use something along the lines of:

Hello Joanna,

My name is Steve and I am just starting to explore the job market to put my degree to good use. I find what you do fascinating. It would be great to connect, and if you have some time for a quick call, I would very much appreciate it.

With best wishes,

Nikita (no wait I am supposed to be Steve)

There are many reasons to connect! You can develop a wider network, learn from people already in the field, and also a lot of jobs are advertised internally within a company before made public, so if someone in the company knows you are looking, they might send the info about the opportunity your way (usually they are encouraged with a referral fee for finding a candidate for a position).

2. Update your profile

One of the things that really surprises me is how BSc and even MSc seem to downplay their strengths, previous achievements and experience, just because they might not see it as applicable to Occ Psych job. So Please please good people your previous experiences, knowledge are likely to be brilliantly transferable to the world of Occ Psych, so please highlight them accordingly. Things to keep in mind:

This is your page and it is about you. So write what you are genuinely interest in, even if it is as general as how we experience our human condition or as specific that you find factor analysis of psychometric items beautiful. It is all good, because as I said it’s about you.

When you have a role in mind, such as consultancy, look through the job descriptions and competencies required. then you can edit your past experiences, be it part time jobs, experiences, placements, volunteering to best illustrate the demonstration of those competencies

e.g. Instead – Working in a shop selling perfume – Working in the shop selling high end fragrancies, I helped my clients explore the offering available and find just the right perfume for them.

I was particular proud of the ability to build trust and long-term relationships with clients.

3. Search for Jobs

Ok, LinkedIn has a great job search function, it is the little toolbox icon at the top of your page. Here you can search for specific roles e.g. Occupational psychologist but also for key words e.g. Psychometrics. You can also set up notifications which notify (as the name suggests) so you are kept updated about the recent roles

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Many Occ Psych related jobs don’t even have psychology in the description so search for the keywords (Psychometrics, assessment, development etc…) so you don’t limit your search by role titles.

When applying, most job descriptions have the person who posted this from the company. Reach out to them and ask if you can have a chat to understand the role better. Also if you already know people in the organisation, reach out to them, and maybe find people in the organisation already doing the same job (e.g. Consultant) in the organisation and reach out to them for a chat. This will help you stand out from the rest of the applicants as someone more interested in the role and taking the application process seriously.

Follow the hashtag #psychtalent which was created for people to highlight the jobs in Occ/Industrial Psych, and sort out the posts by date, so you can see the most recent ones first.

4. Share your knowledge, discuss, and engage

There are loads of posts and comments. Engage with them, comment, engage with everyone. here are some tips:

First if you think should you contribute, the answer is ‘yes’, even if you are not yet working in the field, you already have a view on it, and you are also likely to have knowledge and experiences to contribute.

When answering a comment use the ‘@’ sign to highlight the name of the individual you are replying to, as it will allow you to gain more visibility.

Ask questions from your connections with regards to your field e.g. “What we need to improve about how psychometrics are used?” and when people answer make sure to answer them back 🙂

It can be quite fun so when it becomes a bit too serious, take a break.

Oh yeah and don’t be rude to people, because it looks worse on you than on them 🙂

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