Maximizing LinkedIn

Most jobseekers use LinkedIn.com to put up a profile, upload some contacts and maybe join some groups, but this site is such a powerful networking tool if you use it to its full potential. You should explore the site and see what features may be useful to your unique job search, but here are some tips for taking your LinkedIn profile to the next level.

1) Use the Company Search feature under "Companies" to do research and find contacts for informational interviews.

-It shows you subsidiaries of the company, current and past employees, promotions, new hires, and popular profiles of employees and how you are connected to them.

-You can see what job postings the company has on LinkedIn.

-Career paths of employees

-Information about the company and demographic information about employees

-You can also see recent news posted about the company.

2) Join groups with related interests. These groups are excellent for keeping you informed of the latest trends and developments in your profession as well as job opportunities and training. Individuals, who look at your LinkedIn profile, can see your professional affiliations.

-You can join alumni groups of your college or university to stay abreast of what opportunities are available to alumni.

-Join professional groups in your field. Some groups require that you have an actual membership to the group before you are allowed to join their LinkedIn group.

-Participate on groups by offering information that you find, do it regularly, but sparingly. You should NOT be posting everyday as you should be doing other things beside being online during a job search or while employed.

3) Use the Job Search function.

-Many companies solely place position ads on LinkedIn.

4) Make sure that you know who you are adding to your Contact List.

-LinkedIn is not like Facebook in that you should not be adding contacts just to rack up numbers. It is the quality of relationships and not the quantity that matters in good networking.

5) Change your LinkedIn Public Profile address (you can edit it from the Profile page) from the numbers and letter to your name (e.g., http://www.linkedin.com/in/janesmith).

-You can add it to your business card and email signature. Then a contact that you meet at networking event can preview your professional experience.

6) Import your resume.

-Make sure that it has been edited and that when you add new things to your resume that you upload your new version.

7) Be aware that when you create activity on your LinkedIn page (e.g., add to a discussion on a group or change your profile), your contacts are notified. You want to be on your contacts radar, but for good reasons and not constantly.

8) Skip the Personal Information.

No one should need your birthday or marital status for professional reasons.

9) If you have an interesting professional blog, use the "Blog Link" application to connect it your profile.

10) Even when you are not job seeking, you should continue to update your site and be active networking. Solid networks are built continually, not just when you need something from it. A network is a community that is best built earnestly.

What is critical to remember is that the most useful networking occurs in person and is about building reciprocal professional relationships that last throughout your career.