How to Use Social Media for Engineering Job Hunting

I constantly get recruiter reachouts from big tech companies and top AI startups- even when I’m not actively job hunting or listed as “Open to Work.” That’s because over the years, I’ve consciously put in the effort to build a clear and consistent presence on LinkedIn- one that reflects what I do, what I care about, and the kind of work I want to be known for. And the best part? It’s something anyone can do- with the right strategy and a bit of consistency. If you’re tired of applying to dozens of jobs with no reply, here are 5 powerful LinkedIn upgrades that will make recruiters come to you: 1. Quietly activate “Open to Work” Even if you’re not searching, turning this on boosts your visibility in recruiter filters. → Turn it on under your profile → “Open to” → “Finding a new job” → Choose “Recruiters only” visibility → Specify target titles and locations clearly (e.g., “Machine Learning Engineer – Computer Vision, Remote”) Why it works: Recruiters rely on this filter to find passive yet qualified candidates. 2. Treat your headline like SEO + your elevator pitch Your headline is key real estate- use it to clearly communicate role, expertise, and value. Weak example: “Software Developer at XYZ Company” → Generic and not searchable. Strong example: “ML Engineer | Computer Vision for Autonomous Systems | PyTorch, TensorRT Specialist” → Role: ML Engineer → Niche: computer vision in autonomous systems → Tools: PyTorch, TensorRT This structure reflects best practices from experts who recommend combining role, specialization, technical skills, and context to stand out. 3. Upgrade your visuals to build trust → Use a crisp headshot: natural light, simple background, friendly expression → Add a banner that reinforces your brand: you working, speaking, or a tagline with tools/logos Why it works: Clean visuals increase profile views and instantly project credibility. 4. Rewrite your “About” section as a human story Skip the bullet list, tell a narrative in three parts: → Intro: “I’m an ML engineer specializing in computer vision models for autonomous systems.” → Expertise: “I build end‑to‑end pipelines using PyTorch and TensorRT, optimizing real‑time inference for edge deployment.” → Motivation: “I’m passionate about enabling safer autonomy through efficient vision AI, let’s connect if you’re building in that space.” Why it works: Authentic storytelling creates memorability and emotional resonance . 5. Be the advocate for your work Make your profile act like a portfolio, not just a resume. → Under each role, add 2–4 bullet points with measurable outcomes and tools (e.g., “Reduced inference latency by 35% using INT8 quantization in TensorRT”) → In the Featured section, highlight demos, whitepapers, GitHub repos, or tech talks Give yourself five intentional profile upgrades this week. Then sit back and watch recruiters start reaching you, even in today’s competitive market.

If you're a software engineer looking for a job right now: 1. DM 5 people per day on LinkedIn.    Not 50. Just 5. Focus on people in roles or companies you're aiming for. Be respectful, short, and relevant. 2. Don’t say “Can you refer me?” — earn the referral.    Send the job link + explain in 2 lines why you're a good fit. Make it easy for them to say yes. 3. Cold email hiring managers.    Use LinkedIn + RocketReach. Subject: “Application for Backend Role – 3 YOE | Java + AWS” → That’s it. No essays. 4. Your resume headline should speak like a recruiter.    e.g., “Software Engineer | 3 YOE | React + Node.js | ex-Zomato” — not “passionate coder and lifelong learner.” 5. Remove generic summaries.    They don’t help. Instead, add a “Key Skills” or “Tech Stack” section with actual tools. 6. Apply even if you match 60–70% of the JD.    Most job descriptions are wishlists. Stop disqualifying yourself. 7. Reapply to ghosted companies after 45–60 days.    Yes, it works. Many ATS don’t block reapplicants unless you’re rejected post interviews. 8. One mock every week. Non-negotiable.    System design or DSA, with a friend, mentor, or platform. Interview pressure is different from solo Leetcode. 9. Build one clean side project.    Hosted. GitHub link. Loom/YouTube walkthrough. Make it easy for someone to see your skills in action. 10. Use reverse job search.     Find employees at companies you love → see what skills they have → build a similar profile. 11. Track every job you apply to.     Company, role, date, status, contact — use Notion, Excel, anything. This helps with follow-ups and reapps. 12. Write 2-3 lines about each company before interviews.     Their product, tech stack, funding. It shows you care and lets you ask smarter questions. 13. Customize resumes for different roles.     Same core, but tweak for frontend/backend/full-stack focus. Keywords matter in ATS. 14. Be active in 1 tech community.     Don’t just lurk. Ask questions, help someone debug, post wins, visibility builds trust. 15. Follow 5 hiring managers or tech leads in your domain.     Sometimes they post roles before HR does. 16. Post weekly on LinkedIn.     Share your project progress, what you learned in a mock, or insights from a rejection. Be visible. 17. Use Job Boards smartly.     AngelList (startup roles), Wellfound, Triplebyte, Otta, Hired — but always follow up directly. 18. Prep behavioral questions too.     “Tell me about a challenge…” isn’t just filler. Most people fail here because they wing it. 19. If you’ve been laid off, say it clearly.     There's no shame. Add “Open to Work” + a pinned post. People help when you're honest and specific. Last thing: Getting a job isn’t always fair. It’s skill × effort × timing × luck. So if you’re trying everything and still not getting in, don’t blame yourself. Keep iterating. Keep showing up. Someone will open the door. You just need to stay in the hallway a little longer. Rooting for you.

I spoke with over 20 software job seekers last month. Here's one of their most common frustrations: "I can never talk to a real person about my skills." Yet, all of them use online applications as their main strategy. Instead, they could be talking to "real people" in less than 2 weeks. Here's how you can do it in 6 steps: 1. Find a job posting that you're a great fit for. → Take note of the company that posted it. 2. On LinkedIn, search for your target role. → Head to "People" and filter by the hiring company. 3. Send 30 connection requests with personalized notes. → Most of them won't connect back. That's fine. 4. Study the profiles of those who connect back. → Look for things in common, or things you admire. 5. Message them a genuine compliment or question. → Don't request anything from them. 6. Ask for a quick conversation for their advice. → Don't ask for a referral, just to get their thoughts. On those conversations: • Be interested in them and listen to what they say. • Relate to them, ask questions, request their advice. • At some point, they'll reciprocate interest. • Now, talk about your job search. At the end, ask for introductions to someone else you can talk to. (NOT a referral.) Now, you're building relationships in the company you want to work at. The opportunities you're looking for are in these conversations. Not in online applications. P.S. Do you mainly apply online or network for interviews?

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗗𝗠 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿. 𝗜 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸. That it was only for extroverts, salespeople, or those who knew the “right” people. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The truth? LinkedIn changed my career more than any job board ever could. From landing internships to publishing research and breaking into power & energy, the biggest opportunities in my career didn’t come from job boards—they came from building the right connections. Yet, so many professionals hesitate to network strategically because they: * Feel awkward reaching out to strangers * Don’t know what to say in a cold DM * Fear getting ignored or rejected I get it—I used to be the same way. But once I started using LinkedIn the right way, I landed mentors, internships, and research opportunities that shaped my entire career. Here’s How You Can Do It Today: ✅ 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 * Look for professionals in your target field (engineers, hiring managers, senior leaders). * Use LinkedIn’s “People Also Viewed” section to find similar profiles. * Join industry groups to see who’s actively sharing insights. ✅ 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 Forget “Hi, can I pick your brain?” That doesn’t work. Instead, try this: 💡 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗠 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲: “Hi [Name], I came across your profile while learning about [topic]. I admire your work on [specific project]. I’d love to hear your thoughts on [question]. Would you be open to a quick chat?” ✅ 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗠 * Like and comment on their posts genuinely * Share their work and add your insights * Make your name familiar before sending a message ✅ 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 People respond better when you bring something to the table: * Share an article or resource relevant to their work * Offer a fresh perspective on one of their posts * Ask a specific, thoughtful question instead of just “Can you help me?” The Outcome: I’ve used this exact strategy to build meaningful relationships that led to: ✔ Internship opportunities before I even applied ✔ Research collaborations that boosted my career ✔ Insights from industry leaders that I couldn’t find anywhere else If you’re not leveraging LinkedIn for strategic networking, you’re leaving opportunities on the table. 💡 Try this today: Pick ONE person you admire, craft a thoughtful DM, and hit send

Most job seekers make this mistake: They jump straight into applying — and get filtered out before a human even sees their resume. Recruiters use multiple channels to find candidates - job posts, social media, networking, referrals, and sourcing tools. If you're only using a single-channel approach in your job search, it puts you at a disadvantage. Here's the system I've used in my own job search - based on 20 years of recruiting experience: Step 1: Build your recruiter magnet - Make sure your LinkedIn matches your resume. No contradictions - Showcase your work with links to your portfolio, GitHub, and relevant projects - Use a headline that signals what you do well - not just your current job title Step 2: Apply smart - Set job alerts on LinkedIn and Google - Apply within 8 hours of a posting going live - timing matters - Follow up directly with the hiring manager via LinkedIn DM and email Keep it short, relevant, and focused on why you're genuinely interested Step 3: Stay visible - Comment on posts from people at your target companies - Share 1–2 posts a week about what you’re learning, building, or thinking about - Connect with folks on the teams you’d want to join - Engage in Niche Communities: Go where the pros are. This could be a specific Slack or Discord community for their field (e.g., "Product-Led Alliance" for product managers, "DataTalks.Club" for data scientists), a professional association, or local meetups. Active, helpful participation there gets you noticed by senior people Step 4: Leverage weak ties (AKA - The Hidden Job Market) Everyone knows to ask close friends for help. The real magic is in "weak ties" — former colleagues, friends of friends, people you met once at an event. A quick "Hey, keeping an eye out for marketing roles and thought of your company" works. Step 5: Follow the Funding (follow the money): Sites like TechCrunch or Crunchbase announce new funding rounds. A newly funded company is almost always looking to hire. Reaching out right after a big announcement is a great way to get on their radar early. Something to add? Need help with any of the above? Drop a note in the comments! #jobsearchstrategy #recruitingtips #careerplaybook #jobhunting2025

📝 Unsolicited Job Hunting Advice My LinkedIn inbox is flooded with 'Request for Job Opportunities', ever since I posted about hiring in Dodo Payments. When reaching out on LinkedIn, don't send generic skill summaries. Instead, demonstrate specific value you'll bring. Key tips: - Research the person's recent posts or company updates - Reference specific challenges they're discussing - Share relevant metrics from your experience - Offer concrete solutions, not just your resume Examples: ❌ "I'm a software developer with 5 years of Python experience seeking opportunities." ✅ "I noticed you're scaling data infrastructure. I've reduced deployment time by 40% in similar projects and would love to share insights." ❌ "Digital marketing specialist looking to join your team." ✅ "I saw you're expanding to APAC. Having led successful market entries in Singapore, achieving 150% growth, I'd love to discuss strategies." Remember: - Keep it brief (2-3 short paragraphs) - Highlight results, not just responsibilities - Make it easy for them to say yes to a conversation - Follow up with a specific ask or suggestion Your goal isn't to sell yourself – it's to start a meaningful conversation about shared professional interests.

Here's how you can leverage LinkedIn to find companies & product or design opportunities that are most relevant to you through referrals of people you're connect to on LinkedIn. Getting a referral for a position is going to increase your chances of getting an interview exponentially. Especially in the market that we're in now where there is a flood of applications for every new position. LinkedIn doesn't make it super clear how to find companies where you have connections. So in some recent conversations with others I gave this advice on how to get to a short list of higher potential jobs where there were people they knew who worked at companies with openings in hopes they could refer them. 1. Put cursor in search bar and hit enter. (This will do a blank search) 2. Select "Companies" 3. Filter by your location 4. Filter by "Software Development" 5. Through "All Filters" select "Job Listings on LinkedIn" and "1st Connections" 6. Select a company 7. Select jobs (They surface the most relevant jobs to you first) 8. Select "[#] connections work here" 9. Select "Message" and it will auto write a message to your connection asking for a referral. (Send or edit to your desire) If you have a particular size company, that will also narrow down the results to the size of company you'd prefer where to work. This will narrow down a short list of companies you can look into so see if there are jobs at companies in your city with people you know that work there. One benefit to doing this way is you can remove the "Job Listings on LinkedIn" filter and there may still be companies that have openings that are just not on LinkedIn since not every company posts there job openings on LinkedIn. So it will still give you a list of companies with people in your network that you can reach out to. This seemed very helpful to the people that I shared it with so I thought I'd share it here for others. Adding a screen recording of how it works for me. Do you have any tips and tricks you use for job hunting?

I don't know about you, but the apply-wait-get ghosted cycle of job searching is getting old. Here are some tips to help you get out of that discouraging cycle: 1️⃣ Create a Target Employer List Craft a list of 40 companies you'd love to work for. Start with well-known names, then consider companies where alumni from your school work. Add more from LinkedIn or Indeed, and finally, explore competitors of the companies already on your list. This will give you a solid foundation for research and networking. **Hack** Go to each company's LinkedIn page and click the "I'm interested" button. This signals to the recruiter on the back end you're interested and spotlights your profile. 2️⃣ Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile Your LinkedIn profile is a powerful tool to showcase your brand and achievements. Update your profile to reflect your goals, optimize it for search, and engage with your network by posting and interacting regularly. This will make you more visible to recruiters and potential employers. **Hack** Use the "build a resume feature" to locate keywords/skills to add to your profile to increase your views and searchability. (Link to accessing this feature in the comments below). 3️⃣ Network, Network, Network Networking is essential in today's job market. Aim for at least three networking conversations per week. Engage with LinkedIn connections, alumni groups, or past colleagues. Schedule informational interviews with employees at your target companies to gain insights and build relationships. **Hack** Comment on Company page posts. This spotlights your profile as someone engaged with the brand and more likely to respond if they contact you about an opening. Remember, a successful job search is about being active, intentional, and leveraging the power of your network. #LinkedInTopVoices #JobSearch #Careers #Networking

Swap “Open to work” for “Showcasing Your Work.” I get the eagerness to secure a position. Often, you might think broadcasting your job hunt and desires is the way. But here’s the catch: 1. Relying blindly on LinkedIn’s algorithm to draw viewers to your profile. 2. Not proactively engaging with individuals who could unlock opportunities. It’s akin to announcing an event in your city on Facebook just once, hoping for a crowd. The key? Aggressively market yourself, targeting companies you aspire to join. When I embraced this, interviews flowed in, and I landed my job! Here’s your game plan: Introducing the LUMM - Level Up Marketing Method. 1. Share your projects on LinkedIn, highlighting the challenges you overcame. 2. Distribute these projects to every recruiter and company you’ve encountered, keeping them in the loop with your advancements. The essence of step 2? Remain visible and top-of-mind. 3. Imagine applying for a job and then researching the recruiter. Present your projects to them, demonstrating your abilities, while informing them of your application. Here’s the difference: 👇🏾👇🏾 Option A: You tell me about your services and leave a card. Option B: You present your portfolio, addressing my specific needs because you’ve researched me. Which one seals the deal? An extra tip: Advance to a job interview’s next stage? Try sending your projects to the interviewing team or individual, aligning them with the required skills. Adopt this strategy and watch your job prospects soar. This is the path to lucrative roles, to becoming a standout star. Now, conversations revolve around your accomplishments, not just potential capabilities. You’re welcome!

I landed my dream job without applying, or even looking! Here's how: Job hunting has completely transformed in today's market. ↳ Your online presence is the new Resume. ↳ Your LinkedIn profile is the new Cover Letter. ↳ Your projects and certifications are the new Curriculum Vitae. Optimize these to position yourself, so that the job finds you.. ...before you find it! Here's how YOU can position yourself: 1) Optimize your LinkedIn profile • Intentionally tailor your profile to ONE niche, example: Cloud, AI, etc. • Have a professional headshot; add accurate background logistical info. • Add supporting media to advocate for your background information. 2) Showcase your work • Use your 'Headline' space effectively to highlight roles you desire. • Add references to your GitHub, personal portfolio, personal blog. • Make sure they're easy to find with custom buttons on LinkedIn header. 3) Let your Industry Certifications advocate for you • Certifications boost your credibility in terms of skill, discipline and grit. • Highlight them in the LinkedIn header. For example: 4x AWS certified. • Insert verification credentials accurately in the 'Certification' section. 4) Double down on your uniqueness • In a market where tech skills are common, show your differentiated value. • Display academic achievements, personal projects, volunteering activities. • Get creative and double down on YOUR uniqueness and personality. 5) Join relevant communities to increase visibility • Find communities related to industries you want to get hired in. • Engage in discussions and add your unique perspectives. • Talk about your work in the field; you could catch the attention of that one recruiter/hiring manager that can change your life. 6) Important: Perfect your craft while positioning yourself • Hone your technical and communication skills to be interview ready. • Learn to articulate your responses in STAR + SOAR methods. • Ask meaningful questions during your interview. This one's a differentiator! 7) Stay positive and resilient • Getting an interview is Step 1, but cracking it is another story. • Learn the ART of interviewing - this takes practice, rejections, and research. • It's okay to get rejected, they bring you closer to the ONE YES you need. 💡 Pro Tip: Boost your credibility with free identity verification on LinkedIn. 💡💡Pro-Max Tip: Maintain a positive and professional demeanor ALWAYS! #Recruiters and #JobSearch experts - what additional advice would you add? #recruitment #jobhunting #opentowork #hiring #aws #amazon #job2024