In 2025, anyone who knows anyone has some form of social media. For those in more creative industries, such as marketing, the best social media platform you could potentially use is LinkedIn. It’s a platform that allows people to portray their interests and skills and build connections with other professionals and recruiters.
Social media is also a two-way street. As much as you are putting yourself out there and conveying an image of yourself, you can also use it to find out more about certain people and roles within your industry. If you want to expand your network, find marketing jobs in Manchester, or develop your career, growing your presence on LinkedIn can be a huge advantage.
Your profile
First impressions last - keep this in mind when choosing your profile picture. It’s the first thing employers and recruiters will see when they click on your profile. Make sure it’s a clear headshot that’s not blurry and makes you look approachable but also professional. Use a recent photo of you to represent who you are and avoid a busy, overpowering background.
Optimise your profile by using industry terms in your headline and summary to help you stand out to hiring managers and recruiters in Manchester. In marketing, there are so many different routes to go down, so it’s important to distinguish your niche if you want the right people to find you by using the correct words. For example, state your specialisms, such as “SEO specialist” or “Social Media Manager.”
Your “About” section should be a concise reflection on your experiences to date, including any achievements. Try to show your personality and tell a story to draw people in. For those in creative roles, it could also be beneficial to include a link to a portfolio of your best work.
Job experience
The job experience section of your profile should follow along similarly to the same section of your CV. Summarise your key roles and responsibilities in your previous roles in chronological order, and make sure to emphasise results and successes.
You can also include images of your work in this section of what you’ve completed in previous roles. Show employers and recruiters what you can do by showcasing the work you’re most proud of!
For those early on in their marketing careers who lack industry experience, you can include any job where you can discuss transferable skills such as team management, data analysis, teamwork, and creative work.
Skills and certificates
Keep your skills and certificate section up to date. This will show hiring managers that you are dedicated to continuous learning, are eager to develop your skills, and like to stay current with marketing trends. Do your research and find jobs you want to apply for and what skills they are asking for, and add them to your profile. If you don’t have certain skills they’re looking for, LinkedIn has a learning section with plenty of courses available to help upskill yourself.
It can also be beneficial to have endorsements from previous coworkers to give future employers and recruiters extra confidence in your abilities. Why not reach out to your current peers or previous people you’ve worked with and ask them to endorse you in particular skills you’ve demonstrated.
Network
LinkedIn is the social platform built for networking. People high up in the industry and those who inspire you are on there, sharing their stories and content you can learn from. It’s worth joining relevant marketing groups, and following companies you’d like to work for, and keeping up to date with their news and job openings.
Connect with others working in your field and nurture connections you already have. Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone, most people will happily welcome an open conversation, and be glad to answer any questions you may have. Become an active part of the community, the more active you are on LinkedIn, the more you will appear on other people’s feeds and in recruiters’ candidate searches.
What to post
You’ve set up your profile, started making connections, and now you’re scrolling through your feed wondering what to post. Not using LinkedIn to your advantage would be a wasted opportunity. The pages you follow, your interactions with others, and your own posts can give employers and recruiters an insight into your professional interests and career aspirations. It can be hard to think of post ideas, but one gets inspiration from others in the marketing field or even use ChatGPT to your advantage by asking it to think of content ideas.
Some post ideas could include:
Give insights into your professional interests
What is your motivation?
Share a recent project you’ve undertaken
Post about a book/article you’ve read recently and how it resonates with you
Share a milestone/small win that you’re proud of
Share a post from someone else in the industry
Long-form content tends to perform better, according to Paul Shapiro, who analysed over 3000 successful LinkedIn posts and found that “Posts between 1900 and 2000 words perform the best." The results showed that they seemed to gain the most engagement, including views, likes, comments, and shares.
If you struggle for time, using a social media scheduling tool such as Hootsuite can help with scheduling batches of posts in advance. This is a good way to stay consistent with posting and by spreading out your posts to maximise engagement.
Looking for jobs
LinkedIn’s job board is the perfect place to look for your next marketing job in Manchester. But remember, if you’re applying for a job through LinkedIn, hiring managers and recruiters will expect you to have researched the company and use the information to inform your application and interview answers.
All organisations and employers will have their own LinkedIn pages, which they regularly update with content and news. This will help you to stay up to date with current issues and topics similar to their own and also how the company portrays itself and its culture.
It can also be useful to connect with people who already work there. Send them a quick message or ask for an informational interview surrounding their experience and career journey. It’s a great way to discover more about the company’s values, culture, and what it’s like to actually work there. Doing your research will not only help you with your job applications but also help you to decide whether the company is a right fit for you.
LinkedIn is a fantastic way to keep up with the latest marketing news and trends while finding interesting people to connect with. Use the platform to generate fresh ideas and network with like-minded marketers in Manchester who can help you land your dream job in the city.