The Missing Link?

Bob Weinstein is a journalist who covers technology, project management, the workplace and career development.

  Career Development   Communications Management   Knowledge Management   Lessons Learned  

LinkedIn is the social networking tool of choice for career builders. That’s the opinion of Sherrie A. Madia, a social network strategy consultant and author of The Online Job Search Survival Guide. Madia says the site “keeps getting better and attracts more employers looking for talent.” She attributes its success to its focus and Fortune 500 pedigree.

The numbers prove it. As of September 2010, there were more than 20 million monthly visitors to the site and nearly 33 million members in the United States alone, according to a recent survey by global career website CareerBuilder. The survey found that nearly one in three employers use social networking sites to research job candidates--and 26 percent of these employers used LinkedIn.

To get maximum return from using LinkedIn as a career-enhancing tool, Madia suggests heeding the following nine tips:

1. Put yourself out there. Create a profile at LinkedIn.com with all the fields filled in, including a professional headshot. This conveys credibility, professionalism and commitment to potential employers.
2. Wear your best face. Create a compelling headline.It’s the first thing viewers see after your name. Perfect your summary. It’s the most important part of your profile. And post a resume that’s interesting, up to date, typo free and memorable. Make sure that everything on …

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