How to use LinkedIn to supercharge your career in health and safety

While LinkedIn may not be viewed as the most glamorous social media site out there, it certainly holds the most value for professionals at every stage of their career.

Whether you are looking to jump start your career in work health and safety or you are trying to build your current professional network, creating a solid LinkedIn profile can be the boost you need to supercharge your health and safety career.

Create a stronger network

LinkedIn’s obvious appeal has to do with the opportunity to network. Professionals can search through a database of millions of people with varying positions across industries. This opens up a whole new level of networking potential.

However, independent LinkedIn consultant Victoria Ipri says there should be a limit to which connections you accept. Instead of accepting every pending invitation, be thoughtful in your selection to create a truly strong network.

“You should keep it to people in your industry who you think could be of assistance, and to people you know and have done work with before,” explained Ipri.

Maintain and nurture your relationships

The same way Facebook may be used to keep up with old friends or family members that have moved away, LinkedIn can be a critical tool to help you keep up with past professional connections.

Just because you relocated to a new city for a new position doesn’t mean you can’t leverage the advice or connections of your old boss. Keep in touch with your past colleagues via LinkedIn and maybe they can help you out somewhere down the road.

Find your next new job

LinkedIn truly is a land of professional possibilities. Whether you are actively seeking a new job or not, your LinkedIn profile can open up the door to exciting new opportunities.

According to a 2015 Recruiter Nation survey, 87 per cent of recruiters actively search LinkedIn for new prospects. Keep the door open to new career opportunities by creating a profile.

Show off your skills

For health and safety professionals, LinkedIn can be a great tool for finding exciting new opportunities or gaining a better understanding of what skills are most important in the industry.

Your profile can create a professional portrait for recruiters, with areas on LinkedIn dedicated to special skills, past experience and even professional certifications.

Perhaps one of the best additions to your LinkedIn profile would be a WHS qualification. In an increasingly competitive job market these kinds of certifications can prove your skills to potential new employers.

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for a course with AlertForce today!