My name is Gaurav and I graduated in the summer of 2020 in the middle of a pandemic. The job market was chaos, and I saw people asking for help on LinkedIn with generic Open to Work post. I had to be unique and be able to stand out among all the Job Seekers. “If you are doing it the way everyone else is doing it, you’re doing it wrong” – Casey Neistat.
I researched previous LinkedIn posts that went viral. Next, I studied what metrics make a post go viral. Then, I made multiple drafts of the Post before finalizing one. For example, I asked my roommate to take photos of me wearing a suit and added multiple visual elements in the frame. Adding a photo to your Post is one of the catalysts to make a post go viral.
It was Monday at 10 AM. I copied the Post from my notes to LinkedIn, attached the photo, and hit Post! I had a hook at the beginning, an elegant About Me section, and a specific ask! I already had a couple of hundred likes within the first hour. People resonated with my situation and came forward to help. I remember waking up to 10K likes the next day and hundreds of comments.
Today, the Post has 17,500+ likes and 1.1+ Million views. Check the original Post here –https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gaurav-deo_opentowork-jobsearch-career-activity-6716363555018551296-AQ8h
How things changed after I went viral:
- Recruiters reached out directly!
- Employees from Amazon, Tesla, Apple etc., offered help with referrals.
- Friends showed immense support.
- Couple hundred random strangers connected with me.
- A couple of Senior executives asked for a phone call.
I used the Pull system rather than the push system. While networking, most people use the Push system to comment on others’ posts, send cold emails, etc., but the ROI is very low. The pull system comes with credibility.
With only a couple of hours of work and a LinkedIn post, I build a solid LinkedIn network base. I now easily tap into my network whenever I need professional help while continuously creating the network. I make my network of people, including recruiters, Hiring Managers, and even job seekers. Apart from that, I build an audience that helps me amplify my thoughts online.
Currently, I work as a Mechanical Engineer at Caterpillar, a job I didn’t apply for. It came as a result of the Pull system I used. The recruiter connected with me got all my details but didn’t have an opening at the moment. Few months down the road got a call from the same recruiter on a Wednesday, Interviewed on a Friday, and got an offer on a Monday!
I frequently write on LinkedIn sharing my experiences while job hunting and what strategies helped me overall.
Connect with me – https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaurav-deo/