showhide

LinkedIn is the largest professional networking platform on the internet. By having a profile setup on LinkedIn, you can connect with opportunities by showcasing your unique professional story through experience, skill and education.

Construction companies are valuable connections on LinkedIn as you can gain access to industry insights and innovations that are not available through conventional channels which are essential for your progress and development.

Understand the Construction Industry Landscape on LinkedIn

As of 2022, the construction industry was the 3rd largest represented on LinkedIn with over 14 million profiles.

Many construction companies are actively using LinkedIn. General Contractors, Specialty Subcontractors and Suppliers are just some examples of what construction companies are using LinkedIn. They would use LinkedIn like their website to share project updates, industry insights and to recruit for new employees.

When it comes to job seeking it’s important that you target the key decision makers of construction companies on LinkedIn. People such as, Project Managers, HR Managers or even company owners. Connecting with these people could be advantageous when it comes to looking for your next job.

Optimise Your LinkedIn Profile

Headline:

Your LinkedIn headline doesn’t have to be just your job title. The headline section is a great opportunity to tailor your profile and better optimise it for visibility among construction recruiters.

Example: Project Coordinator in Commercial Sector

Summary:

It’s important to have a summary on your LinkedIn profile, it’s amazing how many professionals are leaving this section blank! Your summary doesn’t have to be just a list of your skills, certifications and achievements in the construction sector, it can be used to tell your professional story. Try bringing to life why those skills matter and the difference they made to the projects that you have worked on. This is the most personal piece on your profile so spend a bit more time on it.

Experience & Skills:

Adding skills to your LinkedIn profile is a quick win. It’s as simple as scrolling through a list and selecting what skills are most relevant to your job title, but the key here is staying relevant and up to date. Only select skills that feel core to what you do and what others can endorse you for on your LinkedIn profile. It could be worthwhile cleaning up this area to from time to time.

Professional Photo:

This is your calling card on LinkedIn. It’s other professionals first introduction to your profile, first impressions matter. Your LinkedIn profile picture should be a recent picture of you, your face should take up roughly 60% of the frame and you should wear what you would typically wear when you go to work.

Building a Connection Strategy

Search for Companies:

As mentioned earlier LinkedIn has over 14 million construction related profiles, many of these are companies. You can search for construction companies directly or you could filter your search to show construction specific companies. This search can also be used to show construction-based companies that are based in an area that is best for you.

Find the Right People:

You can narrow your search down by targeting specific people who work in important decision-making roles for construction companies.  Professionals such as Business Development roles or Project Managers could be worthwhile connecting with the most as they are higher up in the company. Looking for professionals who have mutual connections too could be beneficial as it builds a sense of trust within your network.

Research Before Connecting:

When you come across construction company profiles and professionals who work for those companies, we recommend that you carry out some background research on them, particularly when you want to connect with a company. Look into what projects they are currently working on and their recent social media posts, this will give you good idea of what is going on within each construction company.

Personalise Your Connection Requests

When it comes time to send your connection requests, take a few minutes to craft a personalised request to each construction professional. Sending a personalised request shows that you are thoughtful and your true intent of connecting on LinkedIn.

Example: Hi [NAME], I see you wok with [COMPANY/NAME] and that you are a leader in the construction market. I’d love to connect and learn more about your expertise.

Engage with Their Content

After you build up your following list of construction companies and connection network of construction professionals it’s important that you stay active with them on LinkedIn. You can do this by liking, commenting and sharing posts that they post and that you find interesting. Not only are you staying active in your network but showing your expertise when commenting and sharing content.

Join Relevant LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn is filled with many construction related groups, where professionals share and interact with content and insights of the industry. Spending time to find and join these groups is valuable for growing your network. Once you have joined a group on LinkedIn you can begin to post and share content, showing your knowledge of the construction industry to like-minded others.

Share Valuable Content

Your LinkedIn page is social media platform as well as a professional network. You can use it to post articles, insights and professionals updates to your network. Updates such as the projects you are currently working on or if you carried out any upskilling courses to further your construction skills are great pieces of content to post.

Conclusion

LinkedIn is the world's leading professional network, it’s a great platform for construction professionals to connect with other professionals who work in the construction market and construction companies. Optimisng your profile, building a networking strategy and engaging in content on LinkedIn can be advantageous to your job-hunting efforts. Remember to stay patient and consistent when on LinkedIn, it takes time to build a network and trust of your connections.

Author