Why Job Seeker LinkedIn Comments Matter

You should strive to minimise passive or pointless social media activity (doom-scrolling, stalking, sharing memes, inane WhatsApp conversations) when you are looking for a new role. Fact. However, there are certain types of active social media use that are beneficial for your job search visibility. Job seeker LinkedIn comments are a great way of standing out in the conversations that matter.

If you have a network full of potential employers or recruiters, adding thoughtful comments to engaging posts a few times a day is an excellent way of remaining visible. Add value to likely employers/bosses’ posts (but don’t do that too regularly).

The value of a social network for a job seeker only kicks in when they are visible. You can have the most impressive profile, but you need to be found first. Many recruiters will conduct extensive searches on LinkedIn, so you need to ensure that your profile is keyword optimised. If you want to be in contention for the many unadvertised roles out there, you need to work LinkedIn’s algorithm a little harder with your comments.

If you have a suitable network, job seeker LinkedIn comments are worthwhile for several reasons.

Why job seeker LinkedIn comments work

Comments will surface your name in the feed regularly. While agency recruiters generally live on LinkedIn, hiring managers and in-house recruiters will spend less time on the platform. Playing the numbers game, you probably need to comment on 2-3 posts a day. 90% of your network will notice you over the period of a month.

Your choice of post to comment on says something about you. While you might not have time to write a post or blog yourself, the fact that you made an effort to write an insightful comment will create a mental link between you and the post. Commenting on a range of issues will show a potential hiring manager what you care about. 

Strike up a relationship with people who might matter to you. People appreciate it when the commenters give their posts a little more social media oxygen. Thoughtful job seeker comments are sadly rare on LinkedIn, so while you shouldn’t write an essay (that is creepy), a few lines of added value will go a long way to getting you noticed and appreciated.

LinkedIn headline visibility

The start of your LinkedIn headline is visible with every comment. LinkedIn keeps changing the format of comments, but at least the first few words of your headline will be visible. Put your industry or position and include the #opentowork hashtag on your profile picture. Hiring managers will sit up and take notice.

As with everything on social media, ensure a balance of activity. Still “like” the odd post and share a few of your original thoughts now and again. Don’t chase popularity with irrelevant LinkedIn polls or populist posts. You will come across as desperate, and that is the last thing you want potential employers to think.

Finding posts that you wish to comment upon can be a welcome distraction from the stress of your job search, so incorporating this habit into your day brings potential mental health benefits. Spend no more than 5-10 minutes on it, don’t overthink what you are writing and then get back to your job search activity.

You never know – those LinkedIn comments may be noticed by someone who has a job for you.

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This blog is shared with Job Seeker Duetists. 

Written by former recruitment ghostwriter Paul Drury (not AI).