linkedin

Tag Archives: linkedin

taken form the MSNBC article – http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25707391

With so many social networks and related communities, the choice is overwhelming. Why and maybe which type should you join?

There are two purposes to social networks,” says Jason Alba, author of “I’m On Facebook, Now What?” and “I’m on LinkedIn, Now What?”

networking
to enhance your brand

“LinkedIn has carved out a strong identification within the professional, job-seeking world,” says William Madway, professor of marketing at the Villanova School of Business. “It can offer more contacts and a professional, trustworthy environment for career-related networking. So, if I were attempting to advance myself professionally or career-wise, I’d be very inclined to turn first and foremost to LinkedIn.”

If LinkedIn just seems too suit-and-tie for you, Facebook is a good alternative and also on the list for many networking gurus.

Another site getting a lot of attention these days is Squidoo, a favorite for marketing expert Penny Sansevieri. She says it’s the best site for career enhancing because “you can upload a video of you, the page is very interactive, you can add widgets, a blog, just about anything.”

There’s also some value in joining online networking groups that are focused on a particular geographic area, adds Mashable’s Ostrow. He recommends using Meetup.com to find out about groups in your area. Just put in your topic of interest and zip code, and you can find out about networking opportunities in your town.

www.linkedin.com – created in May 2003, located in Mountain View, CA

More than 19 million users representing 150 industries around the world.

LinkedIn is a free business social networking site that allows users who register to create a professional profile visible to others. Through the site, individuals can then maintain a list of known business contacts, known as Connections. LinkedIn users can also invite anyone to join their list of connections. LinkedIn offers an effective way by which people can develop an extensive list of contacts, as your network consists of your own connections, your connections’ connections (2nd degree connections), as well as your 2nd degree’s connections (called your 3rd degree connections). From this network, individuals can learn of and search for jobs, business opportunities, and people. LinkedIn also serves as an effective medium by which both employers and job seekers can review listed professional information about one another. LinkedIn follows strict privacy guidelines wherein all connections made are mutually confirmed and individuals only appear in the LinkedIn network with their explicit consent. Other LinkedIn features include paid accounts that offer more tools to find people, and “LinkedIn Answers” developed in January 2007. A free feature, “LinkedIn Answers” allows registered users to post business-related questions that anyone else can answer.