11February 2021
LinkedIn is an American company and employment- oriented social network that works via its various portals and mobile applications. Started on May 5, 2004, the network is primarily utilized for professional networking, wherein employers can post jobs and CVs for jobseekers to contact. It has grown substantially and currently has one of the largest and most comprehensive databases of professionals in the world. In essence, LinkedIn is an ideal platform to research and find potential career leads and connections.
One of LinkedIn’s many benefits is its extensive professional networking tools. There are actually four main sections: Job, Networking, Friends, and Contacts. The Job section includes connected LinkedIn contacts and those who have been invited to join LinkedIn; a Networking section allows you to build and share your LinkedIn profile including groups you are a part of, groups you have joined and people you have met; and finally, the friends and contacts section allow you to connect with others who may be looking to work together, develop new connections, or take your business to the next level. These basic functions provide a basic platform for anyone who signs up with LinkedIn. However, there is so much more to LinkedIn that may appeal to the needs of even the most savvy entrepreneur.
LinkedIn provides access to thousands of the most talented professionals in the world – which is essentially what a resume is all about. By joining LinkedIn, you become linked with these elite individuals and are able to engage with them in informational, discussion, or networking formats appropriate to your career goals. You can also manage your resume, send messages, request a meeting, ask questions, suggest opportunities and file documents with your professional networking efforts on LinkedIn. If you are seeking connections, LinkedIn makes it easy to search for top-notch companies and individuals to connect with.
The second major benefit of LinkedIn is the ability to search for people within your industry and geographic region. This is one of the smartest ways to go about building connections with qualified prospects. By using LinkedIn’s advanced search capabilities, you can find and connect with people within your industry who share similar business goals and objectives. You can also review their professional history, see what organizations they are connected with, contact them via email, post comments on their profiles, add LinkedIn links to your resume, or connect via LinkedIn events. If you have a business card or business website, you can easily add LinkedIn links to these websites.
As mentioned above, LinkedIn also provides a “Connect” tab where you can specify a specific company, job title, location, and job type. You can search LinkedIn for jobs based on your geographic region, industry, skills, etc. and view the current openings. If you have an interest or ability that matches the opening, you can “Like” or “Follow” the individual, sending them a simple message that tells them you like or follow them on LinkedIn. As you browse through the various open positions, you will discover many connected individuals with whom you can network, discuss your career goals, ask questions, and even apply for the available positions.
Many people are unfamiliar with LinkedIn, so it makes sense to begin with how to use it to gain professional connections. First, there is no cost to join LinkedIn. In addition, LinkedIn is free to join and free to become linked to, so you will never pay for LinkedIn functionality or access. LinkedIn is not a search engine that produces thousands of results for your specific keywords; it is simply a community of highly professional connected individuals who share ideas, information, career goals, and life goals. You can create your own profile, which helps you show your targeted industry audience that you have thought about their needs and are a viable fit for their organization. Once you have created a profile, you can look in the left pane for jobs and related keywords, search within the search results, search by geographic location, and search within the categories and industries of your choice.
After creating your professional profile and starting your first profile, you may wonder how to proceed from there. One great way to connect with others in your industry and build professional relationships is to post your resume on LinkedIn. Resumes are always a great option because they give you an opportunity to explain your skills and experience relevant to your target position. You can also add a short description of yourself, as well as a link to your resume. Posting your resume on LinkedIn is completely free and a terrific way to connect with others in your career area.
LinkedIn is a great place to find and network with people in your desired field. By utilizing the many useful features of LinkedIn, such as groups, you will be able to find and connect with other professionals. LinkedIn is a great tool to use in order to boost your career and maximize your potential for future job offers and interviews. The information provided on your profile alone can make or break an interview at a prospective employer’s office. Now that you know how to use LinkedIn effectively, you can get the most out of this valuable tool by taking advantage of its ease of access and powerful search capabilities.