Is LinkedIn actually useful to find a job?

1. Find a job posting at said company. Read up on the company, then tie in a value statement and common point of reference to VP, HM, etc. Keep it short.
2. Value to who? Them?
3. Don't be long winded. Stay on value and interest and desire to answer any questions they have (encouraging follow up with you).

LinkedIn is best for cultivating existing relationships you have (e.g. coworkers from a past company).

For most people (unless you want to be a full-on content creator) it's not a good use of time to connect with random people.

What is a good approach to reach out to VPs/Hiring Managers recruiters in your target companies?

Do it only for early-stage startups - Anybody at a larger company won't even give you the time of day, especially for folks on the more junior side like yourself.

To craft a powerful cold message, watch this video we made about it: Stop Getting Ghosted With Your Reachouts - How To Write A Great Cold Message

If you have time, I highly recommend watching the broader networking masterclass the above video was clipped from.

Being an Entry level/Mid-Level developer what are some ways you can provide value to them too?

I really like how you're thinking about this - This is the key to successful networking (and not being ghosted). If they're local, you can try offering a coffee or tea. Otherwise, it's pretty tough. For early-stage startups, try using their product extensively and leaving feedback.

If the person you're reaching out to is active on LinkedIn, react to all their posts and leave insightful comments. You can reference specific posts you liked of theirs when you're reaching out to show that you gave them some of your most precious resource: Your time.

Here's another good thread about adding value to those higher-up than you: "How does one attract a sponsor who is invested in their growth?"

What are some "Don'ts" of this approach

1. Don't use some copy-paste template where you get their name wrong and look like an idiot (I've had many people reach out to me asking for stuff and get my name wrong).
2. Don't feel pressured to make every reach out some cold message/email. There's nothing wrong with applying online. Do a mix of both.
3. Don't make your message solely about you asking for a job (it comes off as desperate), which is how 99% of LinkedIn cold messages are. Your message's purpose is to find a way to add value to them and their organization.

A lot of the advice here is also relevant: "How to prep for interviews at a startup?"

Thanks a lot for everyone’s feedback, a lot of valuable insights, will go over all the content.

LinkedIn is a platform I never actively used that much, so fairly new to being active there. Will defo do someone trial and errors see what works and what doesn’t.