Annie Blewett

I’ m sure we can all remember a time when the internet was dial-up, and interaction online involved talking to people you didn’t know (and probably never met). However, that initial stage of internet novelty has changed, and social media has become more of an outlet to expand current contacts and relationships. Reid Hoffman, CEO of LinkedIn describes this change and  how it relates to his company. 

(To hear more of this interview, click here) 

LinkedIn is a social networking site that allows professionals to make contact with each other and create a profile showcasing special skills and experience. It is free to make a LinkedIn profile, but to fully utilize the service it costs money.

What are the advantages of LinkedIn? 

LinkedIn promotes interaction between other professionals who could very well be your next best resource. Whether is it receiving a donation for your non-profit or hearing about a job opportunity, if used effectively, LinkedIn can provide opportunities and relationships that couldn’t have been formed otherwise. 

Kaye Monty, public relations practitioner and author of a professional blog posted her tips on how to use LinkedIn to find a job. Monty suggests keeping your profile up to date, seeking out alumni, and updating your status to let your connections know that you are looking for work. 

Chuck Hester, an expert on LinkedIn and corporate communications director at iContact, has found many uses for LinkedIn, including media relations and job searching. Hester suggests searching keywords to create contacts when getting started and offering yourself as a resource to reporters or other professionals. 

LinkedIn isn’t the only professional networking site, and as I’ve touched on in my previous posts, all other social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) can aid in making business contacts as well . It is always essential to make sure that even profiles that are more casual and social in nature are a positive reflection upon your character and something you would be comfortable showing future employers.