Getting Filled In With Linkedin

To be quite honest, I’m getting a little sick of social networking sites. I don’t see the benefits of setting up accounts on five different sites, unable to keep up to date with all of them, rather than dedicating all your time to one or two. I believe in quality, not quantity. Of all of these sites, however, I believe the one that holds the most meaning and produces the most benefits for its users would be Linkedin.

According to an article entitled “Linkedin for Dummies” some of the benefits of using this social networking site is networking, hiring, posting jobs, getting business advice as well as saving and making money. What makes this site different from the rest is that Linkedin is a business networking site rather than one like Facebook, which is normally used for recreational purposes and catching up with friends. It’s a good idea to be logged into both sites, Linkedin and Facebook, because that way your have a two sites to separate your personal life and your work life.

The article gives insight to how a person can really utilize Linkedin and enhance their career. An interesting piece of advice that the article gave was when the author stated that when completing your profile, you should make it less formal. Your profile gives potential colleagues and employers a quick glimpse into you as a person. They get all of that on your resume. Here, you really have the opportunity to be funny, creative and to show your personality. It’s appropriate to add your education and work experience to your profile, but it’s also alright to have a little fun with it as well.

It is very important to maintain a personal relationship with all of those you’re connected to. It isn’t a good idea to accept invitation from somebody you don’t know, nor is it a good idea to send an invitation to somebody you don’t know. Another great piece of advice this article gives is that when sending an invitation to some body don’t forget to personalize the message. It shows the person that you’re really interested and care about forming a relationship.

One of my favorite parts is the recommendation feature on Linkedin where people who have met you can give comments on you as a person and add anything you may have missed. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve filled out a resume and forgotten something I’ve done in the past that is relative to my career or could be interesting to a potential employer. That is why it is always a good idea to chat with people who know you when looking for ways to describe yourself. Just one other aspect that makes Linkedin fabulous!