Simple, effective, efficient: LinkedIn.com was conceived in Dec 2002 and launched in May 2003. Today LinkedIn, an online networking website for professionals, spans all Fortune 500 companies, over 150 industries and has 130,000 recruiters among its 30 million members. Stay connected with people you already know and ignite professional relationships with those you don't; LinkedIn is a fully loaded networking toolbox.
LinkedIn has competitors such as Ecademy.com, facebook.com and Plaxo.com, however, LinkedIn.com is the professional on-line networking tool of choice and this article will explain the basic functions. Linkedin.com has been described as "facebook for the suits" or "Facebook without the drunken photos."
The most common complaint that Forbes.com discovered is the cost of membership. While basic membership to LinkedIn's network is free, premium options, such as deeper searches, greater connectivity, priority customer service and sneak peeks at new features, come at a price. Everything described here is free and I have built a 2600 member network in free mode and I am very happy with it for job hunting and general networking. Recruiters and marketers may choose the extra features of the paid version. LinkedIn is reliable, available 99.9% of the time for me with an occasional minor bug. In minutes LinkedIn can round up potential customers, vendors and talented hires in your industry or discipline. Linkedin is easy to use. The interface is clean, simple and advertisements are there, but not in your face. So, let's take this website for a test drive.
GUIDED TOUR STARTS HERE. Fasten your seat belt, print this article to prevent switching windows frequently (click "article tools" at the top right of the article), log onto LinkedIn.com and let's explore linkedIn.com together. The tour will start on the top of the left side of the home page. In the top Left is the LinkedIn.com Logo which will always return you to the home page. The blue word "Home" in the top of the left navigation bar will also return you to the home page.
GROUPS. Next click on the blue word "Groups" below "Home" In the left navigation bar and you will see the groups you are a member of. Click the group name to open it. LinkedIn currently has over 265,000 groups. There are alumni groups for former employers, schools, and any other business topic you can imagine. On the right side of the page you will see a yellow "Find a Group" button where you can search by keywords and categories. Groups allow you to meet and share information with like-minded people. A wonderful feature of groups is that you can set them so you are emailed a digest of activity daily or weekly. Adding all the companies and schools you have attended then joining the related alumni groups is a great start. You can send a message to fellow group members even if not connected. You can also invite them to connect without needing their email address to complete the invitation. Tip: Find something in common and personalize the invitation message.
PROFILE. Now click the blue "Profile". A complete profile multiplies your networking effectiveness because others can spot common interests quickly and connect with you. Following LinkedIn's suggestions until your profile is 100% complete fills your Linkedin Toolbox with the basics.
RECOMMENDATIONS. If you open the subgroups under "Profile" (click on the "+") you will find recommendations. A powerful relationship building tool is to give recommendations on LinkedIn. Everyone has a skill or good point, so point it out in a recommendation. The best way to get a recommendation is to give them!
CONTACTS. Move one button lower on the left side of the main page and click the "Contacts" button. Here you can see your contacts. You can view them alphabetically on the "Connections" tab. Now look to the right and click on the "Advanced Options" button. Two handy dropdown lists will appear: Filter by location and Filter by Industry. This is extremely useful and I have used it many times to find just the right person in the Greater Chicago Area and in the E-Learning industry for instance. You can import possible connections from your address book or other lists using tools on the "Imported Contacts" tab.
INBOX. The next button is the "Inbox." This is a basic inbox. All your messages will be seen in your email, so you know you have a message. Conveniently, there is a link in the email that takes you directly to the message, and my browser automatically logs me in, so I am typing an answer quickly.
APPLICATIONS. Click on the work "Applications" on the left side of the home page below "Inbox" and you will see the applications: slideshow presentations, file sharing, collaboration tools, Google presentation, blog linking, travel, company buzz and reading list. There is no limit to the creative way these can be used individually, and in combination to personalize your profile.
PEOPLE. Next we will explore the top of the home page. Click on the blue word "People" in the upper left by the Linkedin logo. The advanced search will open. This allows you to search in a limitless number of combinations of keywords, location, industry, groups and conditions. If you want to connect with a person in your search results, but they are not in your network, or a common group consider:
1) join a group they are in (view the person's profile for a list of groups they are a member of) or
2) look at their business website (Websites section of the profile) and find a phone number of email address.
JOBS. Now we will click the blue word "Jobs" at the top of the home page just to the right of "People". This is a typical job board with a twist. What make LinkedIn unique? LinkedIn's employment triangle is a powerful combination for you: your connections, the companies they work for, and the jobs currently on the board.
After you click "Jobs" look on the right of the page that comes up and you will see the "companies in Your Network" list. Click on the small "see more" words and you will see the whole list. A small red number beside a company tells you how many jobs they have posted on the job board. Click on "Jobs" at the top of the page and return to the jobs home. Do a search of your zip code and you get typical results for a job board, with another LinkedIn twist you can see who posted it and if you are connected to the recruiter. You can also go back to "companies in your network" to see who you know in the company.
ANSWERS. Click on the blue word "Answers". Here you will find vibrant community asking and answering questions. The scope is vast: 21 categories and all have 3-8 subcategories. You can browse the categories, search for keywords, see questions your connections have asked and answered or ask a question of your own. Answering questions is a powerful way to build your personal brand. Asking questions is a great way to learn, network with experts in a field, test an idea, add brain power to your brainstorming.
COMPANIES. Click on the blue "Companies" at the top of the page. Here you can search companies and see who you know among the staff. Want to work for a specific company? Search for it here. Go look for common interests with the company's current staff and connect with them. Going for a job interview, lookup the company here first. If the company is listed it will tell you current employees in your network, promotions (if you are connected) general career path for current employees where they generally worked before joining this company and after. There is more interesting information on the company as well.
That concludes this brief overview of a vibrant networking community of over 30 million with a newcomer every second. LinkedIn is a powerful multi-dimensional networking toolbox that has it all features, performance, interface and price!