As you embark on a job search, knowing where to start can be a daunting task. And if it’s been a few years since your last search, navigating LinkedIn, an increasingly powerful tool for professionals, can be a challenge. You may know that LinkedIn is helping professionals find meaningful career opportunities, but why? And how?

The short answer: it’s more than a paper resume. So, how can you use LinkedIn to find a job? Let’s get started:

Start with your profile

Just like any social media site, your profile will make an impact on recruiters and hiring managers–and it’s up to you to make a strong first impression online. Keep in mind, employers are searching hundreds of profiles to find the right fit, so it’s critical that your profile is professional and consistently updated. This goes for your photo, employment history, and what you post. To stand out among the crowd, be sure to take these additional steps:

• Expand upon your resume: On LinkedIn, you’re not limited to one page—and this is an incredible advantage to your job search. If you have work samples, certifications, or even just more bullet points to add, this is the place to do it.
• Post about your job/industry: Want to show that you’re up-to-date on industry trends? Be sure to post about them! Whether you’ve attended a conference or want to share an interesting article—or even write an article yourself—this shows that you love to learn about your industry and improve in your work.
• Get recommendations + give them out freely: Skip the reference check and show them off on your LinkedIn profile! By simply asking professionals with whom you’ve worked closely, you can build an impressive list of references over time. Plus, you can easily return the favor. When someone does an excellent job, write them a recommendation as well.

Adjust your settings

Once your profile is ready to go, don’t forget to change your settings to be found by recruiters! Plus, be sure that you’re letting the job postings find you, instead of the other way around. Here’s how:

• Turn on job search: Head to your ‘Settings & Privacy’ under your profile drop-down. Here, you can adjust your settings to let recruiters know that you’re open to new opportunities. Plus, there are additional settings that you can change to help you stand out! Simply scroll down to ‘Job Seeking Preferences’ to start getting recruiters’ attention!
• Turn on email notifications: Under the ‘Jobs’ tab on LinkedIn, you can set up email alerts for any search terms you want! Perhaps you’d like alerts for jobs posted in a specific city, or with a certain title. Every time you conduct a new search here, you will see the option to get email alerts for your search. Once you turn these on, you’ll start seeing the jobs come straight to your inbox instead of searching the job boards again.
• Check daily + utilize LinkedIn Easy Apply: Once you’ve set up your profile and job search alerts, be sure to check in regularly. And, when you find a great opportunity, you may even be able to use LinkedIn Easy Apply, which stores your resume file and data to complete the application in just a few minutes.