Get LinkedIn to the Business World

Carla Certeza

LinkedIn is a professional networking site. It is the business version of Facebook. At the top of your profile, it should display a professional photograph of you, along with your current position, location, experience, and education. It also displays the number of ‘connections’ you have. This is where the networking aspect of the site comes in. LinkedIn provides suggestions on who to make connections with based on similarities in the information you have on your profiles. Once you start to make connections, LinkedIn suggests more connections based on mutual connections, (2^nd degree connections, 3^rd degree connections, etc.). The more connections you have, the better it is to expand your network.

While its main purpose is to grow your network, LinkedIn also acts as an online supplement to your resume. When on the job hunt, people do research to find out more about companies. But the people who are looking for work are not the only ones doing research. Hiring managers also research potential employees, and one of the first things that they look for is a LinkedIn account. Having a LinkedIn account provides you with another opportunity to impress employers without actually meeting with them. [See post, “Letters Leave an Impression.”] You are able to see who views your profile and the number of views you have as well. The site is free, but there are also upgrades available to improve your profile and have access to more visibility, reach, and search options.

Many people make the mistake of having the same information on your LinkedIn profile as your actual resume, which defeats the purpose of having a LinkedIn account as a supplement. Be sure to utilize the summary and description boxes to provide specific details that would not be found on your resume. LinkedIn even provides recommendations on how to improve your profile and gives a percentage of how complete your profile is. Like with your resume, don’t forget to update your LinkedIn profile as you gain more experience. Your connections are also notified with changes you make to your profile.