If you are serious about managing your career, you've got to be on LinkedIn. A study released by Jobvite (posted on UpMo's blog) asked employers about their use of social networks in sourcing employees. Here are the impressive numbers:
68% of employers are using social networks
95% of employers are using LinkedIn to find candidates
74% of employers are using social networks because it is a low cost solution
66% of employers have successfully hired people using social networks
If you combine your digital/on-line social network with face to face networking, it becomes an incredibly powerful combination. Plus, it saves a lot of time.
So how do you become "found" on LinkedIn?
1) Create a profile that is well thought out (having a strategy is key)
2) Connect with people you know and who know you
3) Join groups and submit articles as discussion items or partake in group discussions
LinkedIn is not a job board it is about connecting with professionals. It is a spring board that makes it easier to connect with people you want to meet, nurture relationships with, and learn from.
There was a post on Career Rocketeer about networking. It addresses 11 key steps to networking and the first step was… connect with a past co-worker on LinkedIn. It actually goes into more detail on how someone did that in a meaningful way. Read that post to gain ideas on how to network the right way!