“Are you on LinkedIn?”
The professional arena seems to be buzzing with talk about LinkedIn. Yet every time you receive an email inviting you to join, or informing you that one of your contacts is now using the platform, it’s become a habit to consign it straight to your junk folder. Come on, admit it!
Stop right there! You could be missing out on a great opportunity to boost your professional network. As any successful businessperson will tell you, it’s all about contacts.
For social media lovers (and haters), LinkedIn could be a useful tool for gaining business contacts, job hunting, promoting your business or creating your personal, professional brand. In fact, if you’re used to navigating your way around Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or whichever social media network is your thing, LinkedIn will be a walk in the park. For those who are less technologically inclined or those who aren’t social media fans (it’s OK, not everyone is into cat videos and the Kardashians), LinkedIn is simple to use and is purely for professional purposes.
In a nutshell, the network was created to help professionals stay in touch. However, it has now evolved into a much more comprehensive platform for online networking. You can see what your colleagues are up to, maintain contact with people you met at a conference or business event, or even hunt for like-minded individuals from anywhere in the world, with whom you feel you may be able to forge a mutually beneficial professional relationship.
Additionally, you can now follow companies and ‘Influencers’ meaning that you can stay up to date on what’s happening in your industry or in the business world as a whole. ‘Influencers’ often post articles that advise and offer insight on personal and professional development, which may help you to become a more successful you!
LinkedIn is also great for those who are looking for work. Simply being an active user of LinkedIn ensures that you are visible to recruiters who now use the network to head-hunt top talent. By making sure that your profile is complete, recruiters and employers can see just how much you can offer their business! If you’ve exhausted the job boards, don’t overlook LinkedIn; follow the companies you’d like to work for as they may post the perfect role for you. The network will also recommend job vacancies for you based on your experience and interests.
So, what’s the catch? Well, other than having to invest your time in maintaining your network and making an impact (a ‘little and often’ approach is more than sufficient for LinkedIn), there isn’t one.
The amount of technology and media that’s available during this ‘digital age’ can be overwhelming, so it’s understandable to want to pick and choose when it comes to social media. However, for anyone that is serious about being seen as a credible and reputable professional, or making themselves/their business visible to their peers, LinkedIn is definitely worth your time.
Not sure how to use LinkedIn? Are you baffled as to where to even start? Now there’s no excuse to put it of! Below is a step-by-step LinkedIn beginner’s guide that will give you all the information and tips you need to create a complete LinkedIn profile. After that, you’ll be good to go!
Happy networking! (And once you know how to use LinkedIn don’t forget to join our CareerExperts Group!)
From beginner to expert? If you want to:
- Drive tons of traffic to your site and get qualified leads
- Successfully network with high-profile individuals
- Stand out from the crowd and start getting job offers
Sign up to complete this online LinkedIn Influencer course. Click Here!
