Are You Linked In

As a confirmed networking junkie, I am always looking for my next fix. My new fix is LinkedIn. An on-line social network, Linkedin is often described as FaceBook for professionals.

With an emphasis on career history, educational background and association membership, Linkedin has millions of members, with thousands more joining each day.

Start with your contacts.

Once you register (basic membership is free) you can invite people to LinkIn (connect to you through the online tool). You can search the LinkedIn data base for people you know or upload your email address book. You will only be able to view contact information for people with whom you are directlynconnected.

The interface is easy to use and will pull contacts directly from your address book in Outlook, Gmail, Yahoo or MSN accounts. And if you are Outlook users, the downloadable toolbar makes it easy to continuously update your contacts.

Your Contacts Have Contacts!

This is where the real power of LinkedIn comes in. While you may have only 100 people in your contact circle, each of those people know other people. For example, after a year of building my contact list, I have more than 750 contacts (each of whom know on average 100 people) so my second tier circlencontains more than 80,000 people.

These same connections exist in the off-line world. Your friends know people you want to meet, and sooner or later they may get around to introducing you. With LinkedIn you can accelerate the process by requesting invitations. You can search by skills, type of company, jobs held, geographic regions, and common interests. n
If you find someone who fits your search criteria, LinkedIn will tell you how you are connected, who you know in common, and you can request an invitation. When my assistant moved to St. Louis, we searched my data base and discovered I had connections to marketing directors in some of the largest companies in the city. We were able to make introductions and accelerate her job search.

Beyond Your Address Book

LinkedIn is often overlooked in the world of social media, but as the tool has grown it is much more than just another place to “add your friends.” For job hunters and sales people with specific targets, it’s actually one of the world’s best networking tools.

Whether you are looking for a job, an employee, an introduction to a key executive or simply someone with the answer to burning questions, LinkedInncan help you find people who will meet your need.

LinkedIn will never replace the face-to-face interaction, but it can givenyour traditional networking an extra buzz.