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Searching for a new job is tough in this economic situation. Although the internet serves as a valuable tool for finding jobs online, it doesn’t necessarily make it a walk in the park. The problem with the available resources online like job boards, trade publications, and other job services is that so many people rely on those that it ends up really difficult to find a job that suits your interests best. The less popular resources can be good too, but there is a risk that the job could be a scam. Looking to your close friends may help in some ways, but if you don’t have the same interests, it could lead you nowhere.

LinkedIn is a bit different because it combines the concept of social networking with a member base of over 35 million professionals that each have corporate backgrounds so you can always find a spot for yourself to fit in a relate with. By making the most out of the features offered in this free service, you may be able to net your next job. Here are some ways to do so.

Expand your Network

LinkedIn has recently added a feature that allows you to post status updates so that you can express your great interest to find a new job based on your profile description and listed interests. It wouldn’t do you any good if nobody sees it and the best way to get it noticed is to expand your network. The more people you have in your network, the better the chances of someone noticing your status update and responding accordingly.

Get LinkedIn Recommendations

If you lost your job due to an unfortunate cause, this may help get you out of the ditch. Just because you’ve been laid off doesn’t mean that you should sever communications with your former colleagues. If your former colleagues are LinkedIn members, you can simply have them recommend you to a few people in your network and find new opportunities.

Build a List of Companies that Matches your Background

This can easily be done by using the “Advanced Search”.  The idea is to find people by using your background as a search query and then noting where the individuals that matches the query work at. From there, you can build a list of companies and check which ones are currently hiring. It doesn’t even have to be the company they are working with right now. Also check their history and see if there are any related companies that may be of interest to you.

Remember that LinkedIn is packed with professionals and hiring managers representing top companies including the Fortune 500 companies. So not only will you find a great job that fits your background, but you will also have the honors of working in a reputable business and climb your way up the corporate ladder even faster. LinkedIn is an excellent service to build your career and find the best jobs for you.