“Ten Reasons to Use LinkedIn” by Joan Y. Edwards
Wikipedia says that by March 2011, LinkedIn had 100 million users worldwide. As of October 2011, LinkedIn had over 14 million students and recent college graduates as members. Now, they have over 225 million users. LinkedIn is a place for job seekers, entrepreneurs, and professionals to network online.
USA TODAY College says joining LinkedIn before graduation can benefit students during their college and professional careers.
Trade publication TechRepublic says LinkedIn has “become the de facto tool for professional networking.
Here are 10 reasons to use LinkedIn:
1. Connect with someone you already know who is on LinkedIn. Don’t ask to join the network of a person you do not know. I have accepted from people whose names and work I am acquainted with, although I have not met them face-to-face. For instance, people I have interacted with by email or who have subscribed to my blog.
2. Endorse your connections for skills and expertise. You can also add other skills for them. Sometimes others endorse you for skills you hadn’t put on your list. This is quite an honor. By seeing the skills listed for you, an employer can check his needs with your skills and request an interview for a job with his company.
3. Design your own profile with a photo for Identification purposes.
4. Upload a resume listing all of your qualifications for a potential job. This will showcase your education, honors and awards, publications, work and community experiences. This can help you find jobs, people and more business opportunities.
5. Employers can list jobs and search for potential candidates within LinkedIn.
6. Job seekers can review the profile of hiring managers and discover which of their existing contacts can introduce them.
7. Send private messages to people in your network through LinkedIn.
8. Post links to websites, blogs, and other social media connections.
9. Join different focus groups for organizations, industries or products; for instance, SCBWI, social media, writers, illustrators, kitchen and bath designers, lawyers, plumbers, architects, etc.
10. See events that relate to your job and/or skills and who is going; for instance, conventions, conferences, seminars, workshops.
11. Regular LinkedIn is free: http://www.linkedin.com/. You can join premium services for a fee.
I hope this article has shown you good reasons to use LinkedIn. Always remember it’s a choice.
Celebrate you today.
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
Copyright © 2013 Joan Y. Edwards
Resources
- Christina Wodtke: Announcing LinkedIn Events:” http://blog.linkedin.com/2008/11/07/announcing-linkedin-events/
- Guy Kawasaki. “How to Change the World: Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn:” http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2007/01/ten_ways_to_use.html
- Kevin O’Keefe. “LinkedIn Is 10 Years Old Now a Personal CRM System for Lawyers:” http://kevin.lexblog.com/2013/05/06/linkedin-is-10-years-old-now-a-personal-crm-system-for-lawyers/
- Kenna Griffin. “Why You Should Use LinkedIn More Than Facebook or Twitter:” http://www.profkrg.com/why-you-should-use-linkedin-more-than-facebook-or-twitter
- LinkedIn. Video. “The Value of LinkedIn:” http://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/45
- Neal Shaffer. “What is LinkedIn and Why Should You Join?” http://windmillnetworking.com/2009/08/26/what-is-linkedin-and-why-should-you-join/#ixzz2Sl3rlGpZ
- Neal Schaffer. “Why Use LinkedIn? 7 Reasons for Every Professional to Join:” http://windmillnetworking.com/2009/02/02/7-reasons-why-every-professional-should-be-on-linkedin/
- OutSmarts. “Why You Should Use LinkedIn for Business:” http://www.out-smarts.com/2011/08/05/why-you-should-use-linkedin-for-business/
- Ruth A. Harper. “Why You Should Use LinkedIn before Graduation:” http://www.usatodayeducate.com/staging/index.php/blog/why-you-should-use-linkedin-before-graduation
- Tess C. Taylor. “Why Use LinkedIn?” http://www.brighthub.com/internet/web-development/articles/112183.aspx
Joan,
Another great resource for people interested in connecting with others through social media. I think you deserve a hand for sharing information about so many great tools. Way to go, Joan.
Dear Linda,
Thanks for writing. I’m glad you believe this is a great resource for people interested in connecting with others through social media. I appreciate your applause. Thank you for reading my blog!
Happy Mother’s Day.
Joan Y. Edwards
Joan, at my great and advance age and overfilled day, I am not seeking a job. Nor do I expect to employ anyone. Is there any advantage in linked in for a person like me?
🙂
Bob
Dear Bob,
Thanks for writing. There are many writers and illustrators on LinkedIn. If you’re happy with your marketing success as it is, you’d probably be okay without it. The advantage might be to find a few new people you haven’t connected with in other avenues of social media. You have a place on LinkedIn to list and put images of your publications.
Celebrate you! Never Give Up at any age!
Joan Y. Edwards
LinkedIn sounds like it would be a better networking avenue than Facebook. I’m a member of both of these, but am just learning how to work with LinkedIn. Thanks for that list of reasons, Joan. Gives me ideas I didn’t have.
Dear Lucille,
Thanks for writing. Both Facebook and LinkedIn are good networks. It is possible that one might meet your needs better than another. It’s all a learning process, isn’t it? I’m glad I met you online. It’s fun meeting new people. Good luck in your endeavors to learn new ways to use LinkedIn and other social media.
Celebrate your curiosity,
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
Joan, when it says Rate This are you saying to rate that particular comment or to rate your article. If I were to rate your article I’d have to give it a 5 stars because it has helped me.
Dear Lucille, When the rate this is beside a comment, it means to rate the comment. At the beginning of each blog post is a rate this. That means to rate the blog article. I appreciate you asking. It would be an honor to have you rate it as five stars.
Celebrate you and your thoughtfulness.
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
Thanks for the article Joan. It reinforced my decision to get on Linkedin.
Dear Melanie,
Thanks for writing. I’m glad it helped reinforce your decision to get on LinkedIn. Celebrate you and your gift of writing and your love of people.
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
Now LinkedIn is one site I do participate in. Thanks for the great tips, Joan. 🙂
Dear Tracy,
Thanks for writing. I finally found one you liked. That is cool. It seems there are a gazillion social media sites that we can use. Only so many hours in a day. Using the ones we like makes it fun. I’m glad my tips were helpful.
Celebrate you and your creative ways!
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
Joan,
Thank you for all the great reasons to be on LinkedIn. I’m going to spend more time there from now on. .
Dear June,
Thank you for writing. I’m glad my article helped you find a few new ways to use LinkedIn. Hurray for you.
Celebrate your gift of encouragement
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards