How to Use LinkedIn’s New Features to Find Your Dream Job

January is often a time when people reevaluate their lives, goals and priorities. If it’s not moving house or getting a new pet, this might take the form of considering a new job.

Whether you want to move to a fully remote job this January, or have been impacted by the latest tidal wave of tech layoffs hitting the industry, there are many reasons you might find yourself job hunting as the year gets underway. In fact, the professional networking giant found that job applications are up an average of 16% per person per job.

Moreover, LinkedIn has just revealed a suite of powerful new features designed to transform your job search, unearthing exciting opportunities that might otherwise have remained hidden. LinkedIn’s new job search tools include a new Job Collections feature, plus the ability to better personalize your Preferences Page, and use “I’m Interested” signals to recruiters and hiring managers.

In this article, we’ll outline the latest LinkedIn features added this January and show you how to help you to make the most of the update in your quest for a dream job.

Uncover Hidden Gems with “Job Collections”

In a blog post, LinkedIn unveiled its new superpowers and they start with the addition of “Job Collections.”

To use Job Collections, navigate to the Jobs Tab on Linkedin. From there you can select “Explore with Job Collections” to get going.

The LinkedIn blog says you can “click on any of the collections that align with your passion and interests, including jobs that offer remote work, good parental leave, or a focus on sustainability.”

You can choose to filter by a vast range of industry vertical collections such as food & beverage, healthcare, media, defense & space and so on. It’s now much easier to discover more niche verticals.

Pro tip: Use collections to indulge your passions. If you’re really looking to shake things up, you can select job collections based on company size or maturity. For example, why not explore opportunities with startup or small business collections?

Fine-Tune Your Search: The Preferences Page

LinkedIn has now made it easier for users to manage their job search preferences from one place. Find the preference page at the top of the Jobs Tab on mobile and on the left-hand sidebar on desktop.

Set your preferences and you’ll then find those details highlighted in green when browsing job profiles so you can quickly spot when a job is a good match.

You’ll find options like location type (remote, hybrid, on-site), employment type (full-time, part-time, contract, etc.), minimum salary (US members only for now), as well as the ability to set up alerts so you never miss a new job listing that meets your criteria.

Keep an eye on this feature as LinkedIn plans to add new preferences soon.

Pro tip: Within the preferences page you can privately signal to recruiters that you’re open to work. Recruiters normally work on a commission basis and will help you find your dream job, so signaling to them that you’re actively job hunting is a no-brainer. In some cases, they may even show you job profiles before they put them online.

Express Interest, Effortlessly: “I’m Interested”

Sometimes timing is everything. You might know exactly what your dream job or company is, but there isn’t an opening that aligns with your experience right now.

Enter “I’m Interested,” a feature that allows you to express your enthusiasm directly to the company. No need to waste time crafting generic applications; simply click “I’m Interested,” and let your profile speak for itself.

Pro tip: Take a few minutes to signal your interest with your top 10-20 companies so that you’ll be top of mind once a position comes up. Refresh your list a few times a year so that you’re signaling to companies you’re passionate about.

Super-Charge your Job Search with AI

We’re not trying to sound like a sponsored ad (#notanad), but LinkedIn Premium does offer its users some enticing benefits.

You can be even pickier about the companies you spend time applying to with Advanced Premium Filters; increase your chance of being noticed by hiring managers with the Top Choice Job feature; and use the new AI-powered LinkedIn Premium experience to quickly assess whether a job is a good match for you.

Pro tip: We recommend taking advantage of your Premium free trial when you’re planning a career change – just remember to cancel before billing starts if you don’t want to continue reaping the benefits of the subscription beyond the free period.