Linkedinは転職に有効?効果的な使い方と会社にばれない対策を伝授Is Linkedin effective for job hunting? How to use Linkedin effectively and how to prevent your company from discovering it.

Have you heard of Linkedin, a social networking service specialized for business? It is a tool that is actively used overseas for job hunting and is gradually gaining a stronger presence in Japan.

In this article, we will introduce Linkedin's features and how to make the most of it so that you will not be left behind in your job search, and if you are worried that your company will find out about your job search by registering on Linkedin, please refer to the explanation of how to prevent this.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Developed in Silicon Valley in the United States, Linkedin is a business-focused social networking service where account registration is based on real names. Since many of its users put their faces out there, it is a tool that has become a substitute for business cards for overseas businesspeople.

As such, Linkedin also plays a major role when changing jobs. Here are some examples of how Linkedin is being used overseas and in Japan.

An indispensable tool for changing jobs worldwide: over 1 billion people registered

With over 1 billion registered Linkedin users in more than 200 countries and regions (as of August 2024), it is no exaggeration to say that Linkedin is an indispensable tool for business, especially when changing jobs. In fact, data shows that every minute 7 people win a job on Linkedin, accounting for about 40% of the international job market.

Weiner, Linkedin's CEO, hopes that as many as 70 million companies around the world will register on Linkedin, and the company aims to post jobs from all over the world. Linkedin will therefore continue to grow in significance as an indispensable tool for job seekers.

SNS becoming a major player in Japan: over 4 million registered users

Linkedin has not been widely used in Japan for a long time since its launch in 2011. One of the reasons for this is that it was not localized at the time, was not supported in Japanese, and could not be used easily.

However, the situation changed in 2017 when Mr. Gyo Murakami, formerly of Yahoo Japan, was appointed as Linkedin's Japan representative. As a result of the progress in localization, the number of registered users gradually increased, and as of August 2024, there were more than 4 million registered users in Japan.

Currently, Japanese companies such as OMRON Corporation, Toyo Engineering Corporation, and Mercari Inc. are also using Linkedin for mid-career recruitment. The number of companies using Linkedin for mid-career recruiting is expected to increase in the future, and it is likely that Linkedin will continue to grow its presence in the Japanese job market.
 

Linkedin has become an indispensable tool in the global job search landscape because of the following five factors

You can build business contacts
You can be contacted by companies and recruitment agents
Can gather business information
Can collect and apply for employment information
You can learn business skills

We will explain one by one.

Build business network

The main feature of Linkedin is that users register and use their real names, so it is easy to see who is working at what kind of companies. If you find someone who works at a company you are interested in and connect with them, you may be able to hear what they have to say about the company.

Linkedin is a business-focused social networking site, so much so that some users are asked to delete private posts such as travel. For this reason, registered users are basically business people who want to “expand business connections” and “make use of them for business.

You will benefit from being able to make contact with business-minded people and build a broad network of contacts by taking advantage of the features of the SNS.

You may be contacted by companies and recruitment agents.

LinkedIn users are not limited to individuals. It also includes recruitment agents and corporate recruiters. When these users find a candidate whose skills and experience they are interested in, they may contact them.

Therefore, to make Linkedin a substitute for your business card or resume, enhance your profile page with information about your work experience, achievements, and skills. By showing what you can do, you can attract the interest of companies and recruitment agents. Also, make sure your icon displays the “Open To Work” message. This sends the message that you are “looking for a job.

By taking these two actions, you will increase the probability of being contacted by companies and agents who are interested in your skills and experience.

Gather business information

Linkedin also provides business-related news, pre-releases, and event information. It is very useful to keep up-to-date with the latest information on the industries and companies you are interested in when you are looking for a new job.

By following companies you are interested in, you can check the posts on their company pages in your feed and easily gather information about their business.

You can collect and apply for employment information.

Foreign companies often use Linkedin. Some foreign companies even post their job openings only on Linkedin. Therefore, by using Linkedin, you will have a higher chance of finding rare jobs.

If you find a company you are interested in, you can easily apply by clicking the “Apply” button on Linkedin.

Learn business skills

Linkedin has a service called “Linkedin Learning” that allows you to learn business skills online. For a fee, you can take any of the more than 21,000 courses offered by experts in the field.

Courses range from business English to communication skills such as negotiation, programming languages, and more.

Upon completion of the course, you will receive a “Course Completion Certificate” that you can post on your Linkedin profile, which is a great way to showcase your skills to job-seekers.

he following types of people are recommended to use Linkedin

People who are considering a career change at a foreign company
People who want to know their market value
People who want to change jobs eventually

We will explain one by one, so please check if it applies to you

People who are thinking about changing jobs at a foreign-affiliated company

Linkedin is still not very popular in Japan, but about 40% of the global job market is using Linkedin. If you are considering a career change at a foreign company, there is no way you can avoid using Linkedin.

It is said that some foreign-capital companies do not disclose their job openings on Linkedin. Linkedin is a tool that should be used by anyone considering a career change to a foreign-capital company, as it has the potential to find jobs that are not available on regular job sites.

People who want to know their market value

By registering on Linkedin, you can find out your market value.

An attractive profile attracts offers from companies. In other words, the number of offers you receive allows you to objectively check how much you are valued.

Knowing your market value is beneficial even for those who are not thinking of changing jobs right now. It will also help you to understand your weaknesses and strengths, which will be helpful in considering how to enhance your profile and your future career plans.

People who want to change jobs eventually

Linkedin allows you to build relationships with companies and business people.

Even if you do not plan to change jobs right now, expanding your network of new contacts on Linkedin can have a positive effect, such as introducing you to attractive jobs when you start your job search.

If you are going to use Linkedin, you want to make it more effective. The following three points are key to doing so.

A well-developed profile: As with your resume and CV, a photo is a must.
Post in both Japanese and English: Appeal to foreign and global companies
Full use of Linkedin features: Expand your network.

Let us explain one by one.

Enhance your profile: As with your resume and CV, a photo is essential.

The most important part of your job search using Linkedin is your “profile. Your profile is like your resume or CV, so be sure to include a picture of yourself. In fact, it is said that the number of views differs by as much as 21 times depending on whether or not you include a photo of yourself.

Also, to catch the attention of hiring managers, include as much detail as possible about your business background and skills. The skills section is especially important. Users who have registered five or more skills are 27 times more likely to be contacted by companies and other registrants.

Post in Japanese and English: Appeal to foreign and global companies

Many foreign-affiliated companies are registered on Linkedin. Therefore, it is easier to be contacted by foreign-affiliated and Japanese-affiliated global companies if your profile is posted in English as well as Japanese.

Hiring managers at foreign companies do not necessarily know how to read Japanese. You do not want to miss out on an attractive job opportunity because you did not have an English profile.

To ensure that your profile catches the eye of many foreign-affiliated and Japanese-affiliated companies, be sure to prepare both Japanese and English profiles.

Take Full Advantage of Linkedin Features: Extend Your Network

Linkedin has a variety of features that can help you in your job search.

If you are a job seeker, use the “Open to Work” feature to show that you are looking for a job. Hiring managers and others who are connected to you will understand that you are looking for a job and may contact you.

Also, if you register your job interests and desired locations, when recruiters are researching candidates, they will find your profile as a potential candidate and will be more likely to reach out to you.

It is also important to use Linkedin to expand your network. Use the “Apply to Connect” feature to gradually expand your circle of contacts from those within your own network. There are primary to tertiary connections, which can be identified as “acquaintances,” “acquaintances of acquaintances,” and “further acquaintances of further acquaintances. By sending connection requests to those people, you will expand your network.

You can also contact people with whom you have no connections. For a fee, you can use the “InMail” feature to contact users you have not been introduced to or do not have contact information for. This feature is useful if you want to talk to someone who works at a company you are interested in.
 

Some of you may be wondering, “If I use Linkedin to find a new job, won't my current company find out about it?” Some people may be worried that their current company will find out if they use Linkedin to find a new job. In conclusion, it is not 100% certain that your current company will not find out about your job search. Here are two ways to prevent your current company from finding out about your job search.

Be careful about the scope of your information disclosure settings.
Block your employer and business partners in advance

It is not a good idea to remain anonymous because you do not want your company to find out about your job search. The reasons for this are also explained below.

Be careful about the range of information disclosure settings.
Profile disclosure range

Profile Publication Range Settings

If you turn off the public scope of your profile, it will not appear when people search for your name in search engines. Turn off the public scope so that people who are not using Linkedin will not be able to see it.

Public range of your mug shot

As for the name, there are people with the same name, so there is not much of a problem if you make it public. However, since people who know you will recognize your face if they see it, it is safe to limit the publication of your photo to primary connections.

For other activities that may suggest a job change, it is recommended that you set them to primary connections that you know directly, rather than to secondary connections where you do not know who is there.

Setting up the Open to Work feature

Set the “Open to Work” feature to “Employers Only” to indicate that you are interested in new job postings. Note that setting it to “All Linkedin Members” will include recruiters and users at your current employer. If you set it to “Employers only,” then LinkedIn Recruiter users at your current employer will not see you as a job seeker.

However, please understand that this is not 100% safe, as “Open to Work” will appear when searching with another company's LinkedIn Recruiter ID.

Block your employer, business partners, etc. in advance.

Linkedin allows you to block companies in advance that you do not want to disclose your information. You can block not only your current employer, but also your business partners, previous employers, and other companies that you think might leak the fact that you are looking for a new job.

It is not a good idea to be anonymous because you don't want your company to find out about your job search.

Do not register on Linkedin under a false name, thinking that if you register anonymously, your company will not find out about it, because Linkedin's terms of use state that you must register under your real name.

If it is discovered that you have registered under a false name, you will be penalized with restrictions on your use of Linkedin or your account will be suspended. In addition, when you are scouted by a company, you must tell them that you are using a false name. The fact that you have been using a false name will not make a good impression.

There is no good in terms of Linkedin's Terms of Use or your job search if you use an anonymous name, so register your real name.

Linkedin, a business-focused social networking service, is a useful and effective tool for those who are considering a career change at a foreign company or a global company, as it allows them to find rare job opportunities and easily obtain company information. However, in order to contact a company, you need to create a resume in English and build a network. Since you have to do these tasks alone, it can be time-consuming.

In such cases, we recommend the simultaneous use of a recruitment agent that specializes in foreign-capitalized companies. By using Linkedin and a bilingual recruitment agent, you will be able to conduct your job search more efficiently and more extensively!