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Making Connections with LinkedIn

Filed under Networking
Posted by Libraries, September 14, 2009
View all posts for September 2009

Whether you are currently job searching or have your dream job, LinkedIn.com is a social networking tool you should consider using. As Brian McClellan states in Sandra Beckwith’s article, Getting Connected in Tough Times: LinkedIn Helps Members Tap into Their Professional Network, “…using Linkedin successfully means rethinking how you network. This is not something for tech geeks or that you need only at a certain time in your career. It really should be a critical part of your career plan.”

Beckwith explains that the way LinkedIn works is you create a profile that displays your professional experience “and you make ‘connections’ by inviting people you know to link to your profile.” From there, users can look at each other’s connections and make requests to introduce themselves to new people.

Steve Tylock, author of The Linkedin Personal Trainer booklet, provides the following suggestions:

• Focus on your “headline”: Keep in mind that the information you supply as your “current position” becomes your default headline, which is what people will see next to your name when they search. While it is typical to include your job title here, it could be more beneficial and eye catching to instead provide a description of what makes you unique.

• Strategize: Be cautious of how you network. Make sure you know and can trust those that you connect with, since you do not want to be associated with negative reputations or incidents.

• Dig deeper: Once you become comfortable using LinkedIn, make sure you explore and take advantage of the extra features and options that it offers.

For more information on LinkedIn and other social networking resources visit the CRL eLibrary Networking Career Guide.

blogged by Tracy Vingo