Introducing LinkedIn

If you haven't realized the potential of social networking yet, you are missing out on a wonderful opportunity. Social networking is a great place to stay in touch, communicate, meet prospects, hold discussions, look for employment opportunities, and if you run a business, it is essential as well. Unfortunately, Facebook is much more personal than most people in the business world would like; however, it is a big pool of millions upon millions of users, and Facebook business pages is a powerful way to get your products or services out there. Nevertheless, full-on business connections still need to have a unique presence in the social media marketplace, which is why LinkedIn has become so important. It's all about the business side of life and is now more than 65 million strong and continuing to grow.

LinkedIn is all about contacts. It's a convenient way for people to keep connections they have made that are meaningful in a professional sense. You'll be able to view contacts you might have worked with at one point, join like-minded business groups, find people offering or looking for employment and even connect people you don't know. You can get references from individuals as well, a great perk if you want to impress a human resources department or apply for job with one of your LinkedIn connections.

Using LinkedIn is easy and you can be set up in minutes. You just need to create a profile (similar to a resume) and keep it updated, find contacts, write up introductions and ultimately sell yourself. LinkedIn isn't a place to play silly games or watch random YouTube videos; instead, it's a resource where you can list out your skills, your education and anything that might make you a better professional prospect.

Creating your LinkedIn profile doesn't cost a cent. However, you can sign up with a paid version that gives you more access and a “premium account” allowing you to organize your profile better and have priority connections so you can search faster. You can also message anyone without an introduction. Unlike Facebook, you can't just add anyone on LinkedIn; an introduction must be made between one member to another.

By being a member of LinkedIn, you'll get online recommendations from all sorts of people you know. You'll be able to receive introductions from possible employers; post jobs that you are seeking employees to fill, join all sorts of groups related to your profession (s) and seek opinions and aid. You'll be able to build an online resume, get offers and make connections with prospects as well. You'll stay connected, professionally and have a great resource right at your fingertips.