Should you be “Linked-In”?

Networking. Networking. Networking. Today’s world is all about who you know. Does it matter if you make your connections in person or online? The professional networking website LinkedIn has become an increasingly popular way for professionals to make connections without even leaving their homes. Could creating a profile really be that beneficial to your career? I interviewed some professionals to find out.  

What is it? LinkedIn is a social networking site, also available in a smart phone app, designed to help connect the world’s professionals.  You start by making a profile, basically an e-resume. Here you can upload a headshot and list your education, work experience and professional skills. Your full profile is visible to only those you connect with but anyone can search for you and access parts of your profile. You get notifications when people want to make a “connection” with you, or when they simply view your profile. LinkedIn also allows people to endorse each other’s skills. Companies can also make pages where they post information about who they are and what they do. Users can “follow” different business on LinkedIn to keep up with their current news. Often job postings are posted to these company pages and those who follow the business page can be some of the first people to see new postings.

How are people using the site? I visited with a business owner, a professor, a director of human resources, and a project manager to find out how they use LinkedIn. The main response was networking. Many of them said it was a way to connect with old friends in a way they would have never done previous to having a LinkedIn. They liked being able to see where friends or old co-workers were currently employed.  Many also used the site for job searching and hiring.  One business owner said she recently hired someone she found on linked in, and could not be happier with the outcome.  The director of human resources said she is about to make some hires and will most likely be checking LinkedIn for prospects.

Are their any negatives to signing up for a professional networking site? The only complaints from the professionals I spoke with, it that it is another site that demands their attention. To get the full benefit your profile needs to be maintained and checked regularly.

So what is it that persuaded people to put their resume info into electronic form? Some said mainly for networking, some made a profile incase they wanted to search for new employment, some said they signed up because someone they respected suggested it, and some learned about it at a conference or other professional event and were told it would be an asset.

When used correctly, professional social networking sites like LinkedIn can be used to make connections, find qualified employees, or even find employment yourself. It is becoming a staple in the business world.  The convenience of being able to make connections with other professionals using the Internet has changed the networking game forever. When asked if LinkedIn was a tool they would recommend to young business professionals just starting their career, everyone I interview said definitely yes.

Jessa