This is ironic advice from someone who spends 90% of their day plugged into LinkedIn but: 

This platform is not the only way to get hired in 2025.

This advice might not be the most popular, but it might be news for people frustrated by their efforts on here. 

Ultimately, LinkedIn is a great starting point - but it shouldn’t be the only platform where you funnel your efforts when it comes to finding a new role. 

Don’t be afraid to go off-piste. You might even find that it’s more likely to return results. 

For anyone looking for a way to freshen things up, here’s what I’d recommend. 

1. Go more direct. 

Big companies are more likely to rely on their own internal processes and CRM systems than they are on LinkedIn. 

LinkedIn is such a great one-stop shop for all things related to the job search, but how efficient is it? 

If we’re being honest, the success rate for people applying to job ads even hearing back is probably around the 0.1% mark. 

Compare this to going direct on a companies website where they have a dedicated careers section and potentially even have a ‘register your interest’ page for prospective talent. 

This also has the added benefit of giving you peace of mind that the role isn’t a scam or a job advert that’s outdated and nobody has bothered to take it down. 

It’s direct from the source and plugs right into a dedicated talent team or decision maker. The amount of people applying through here is probably 1/10th of what goes through LinkedIn and gives you a greater chance of being seen.

2. Email > LinkedIn. 

Don’t neglect the power of an email approach. 

Be honest, when was the last time you prioritised an email approach over a LinkedIn approach? 

My email inbox is 1000x less cluttered than my LinkedIn inbox where I regularly miss messages from friends/colleagues just due to how busy it is. That rarely happens through email. 

Most people’s emails are accessible online (top tip: download Lusha and use it for a free trial) or are pretty easy to work out from a standard format. 

The open rate through email is going to be much higher than with LinkedIn messenger and you're more likely to get noticed through direct email outreach

3. Tap into the Hidden Network  

I don’t mean for this to sound mysterious, but it’s the only way to refer to the masses of jobs that exist through alternative channels to LinkedIn. 

It’s harder to get access to than the masses of jobs floated on LinkedIn, but they’re a lot more effective and also less competitive. 

Here’s a secret - LinkedIn job adverts are incredibly expensive to run. A company is likely to have a set amount and smaller firms might not even have that.

They’re also, in the GCC where we receive such a high volume of applicants, probably the last port of call above other methods like: Referrals, word of mouth, direct on websites etc etc. 

If you’re a Hiring Manager, would you rather spend all day crawling through an inbox of 2000 applicants trying to schedule calls, or get referred into someone from somebody you trust?

While I’d draw the line at turning up at their offices and asking to see X, I do think it’s important that you are getting out there, meeting people and putting yourself front of mind. 

Before You Go: Stay connected! Explore our socials and discover exclusive roles– all in one place 😎

Job of the Week. 

Account Manager - UAE - Influencer Background

MCG Talent are partnered with several Influencer Marketing agencies who are looking for Account Managers with experience of working with Influencers.

Candidates will have ideally worked in the UAE before and have a black book of contacts in the space they can bring to the role. Command of English and Arabic is essential in order to be considered for the role. 

Please reach out to me on LinkedIn and I will be happy to chat if your profile matches the requirements.

FAQ’s

Looking for your next role in the GCC? Here’s some tips:

• Are you looking to build a strong network?

• Why you should go all in on LinkedIn 

• The Cover Letter is dead. Here’s its replacement 

• How to nail your next interview

• Do not do these three things on your CV

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If you’re interested in seeing more from MCG Talent and what we’re up to, please check out our company LinkedIn here or connect with me here for regular posts on life in the GCC.