LinkedIn: 5 Easy Steps to Getting Started

By Sarah Kelleher on February 17, 2013

I’ve been getting a few invitations from my Facebook friends asking me if I’ve joined LinkedIn. I ignored the first few requests from what I thought was spam, but I’ve been hearing more and more about the brand and I might want to give LinkedIn a second look as should you if you’ve overlooked the severe benefits of this site like I did. Whether you’re searching for a new job, trying to get information, or looking to build your profile, LinkedIn get you in touch with people who can help you network smarter and advance your career.

Photo by topgold via Flickr.com

Creating a LinkedIn profile essentially creates a pallet for you to brand yourself by making a profile where visitors can get a firm grasp on your experience, interests, skills, and anything you bring to the table. LinkedIn is similar to a resume but there is no need to worry about formatting or fitting everything onto one page. There are separate sections where you can place additional information like awards, interests, groups you belong to, or even post previous projects and presentations you’ve done. LinkedIn users are connected with contacts that previously were far beyond their reach. In this competitive job market and thin economic times, networking is key. Several of my friends have found jobs and made great connections through LinkedIn and a recent study showed that small business owners find LinkedIn to the be the most beneficial social media platform, with 41% of respondents singling it out. So, if you’re not LinkedIn, chances are you are missing out on huge possible career opportunities.

Where to begin? Signing up is free and once you’ve made an account there are a few ways to ensure you get the most out of your page.

1. Show Your Content
Your cover photo is the first thing people will see, so be sure to have a professional, clear photo as your picture.  Additionally, whether you are developing a company profile or a professional one, addition photos and files are encouraged to share with followers. Also, as annoying as this may be, make sure to fully and thoroughly fill out your profile especially the ‘Products and Services” section. Have a call-to-action, for example, “view now”/ “download now”/ “download for free” and have a link to the page where a person can find your content.

2. Share as Much as You Can
Post relevant business articles that you come across and share all your corporate blog posts. People who come to your page want to see a person who is active. Your updates show up in the activity feeds of your connections which equals more exposure for your business and profile, more chances you will be liked, commented on, and shared. LinkedIn also provides analytics on which posts get the most feedback.

3. Join a LinkedIn Group
There are an overwhelmingly amount of LinkedIn groups but these groups provide an opportunity to make new connections and keep an eye on what’s going on in your industry. There are separate groups for nearly every industry profession and skill set.

With all networking and social media sites, people won’t flock to your page immediately. It is up to you to be active on LinkedIn and wreak all the benefits the site has to offer. Track your engagement levels so you know whether or not you are accomplishing what you want. The exposure and activity you get might surprise you!

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