by Kirjavaa

Created on: May 09, 2010   Last Updated: May 10, 2010

With so many people out of work in this economy, it can often feel like the job hunting process is one long endless string of classifieds sites stretching out to infinity, accepting resume after resume without any response from a human.  Fortunately, with the dawn of the social networking era, job hunting on the internet no longer needs to be distant and impersonal.  More and more job hunters and prospective employers are finding that using social networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn can be about so much more than just updating your friends on the latest minutes of your life.  With social networking becoming more user friendly than ever before, the daily functions of these sites have expanded from just being a fun way to socialize to an important way of sharing vital information.

Founded in 2002, LinkedIn can count itself among one of the newer arrivals in on the social networking scene.  Being the new kid hasn't stopped the incredible momentum that this site has gained in recent years, particularly with its relevance to the recent downturn in the economy.  In a few short years the site has jumped from a paltry half million members in 2003 to over 40 million as the most recent tally. 

So what's the draw?  Unlike other social networking sites which include job search and networking functions in addition to social networking, LinkedIn tends to focus on professional networking and development.  Instead of a profile page listing favorite bands, books or movies, a LinkedIn profile page reads more like an online resume, listing previous employment, education, and professional achievement. 

Setting up a LinkedIn profile is easy, especially with the newly introduced resume upload option; now instead of filling in your professional experience and information, you can upload your resume directly to your profile and have the site fill in the appropriate sections for you.  If you prefer to type everything in yourself, you will find sections where you can inform others of the details of jobs that you've held, personal and professional accomplishments, your education information, and what your professional goals and plans are.  Choose an appropriate photo of yourself to represent you on the site, and you are ready to start networking.

The key to using LinkedIn successfully is finding professional contacts to add to your network.  You can do this in a number of different ways.  LinkedIn has

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