Facebook and Twitter may still top the social media usage ratings – but what about LinkedIn? The professionals social networking platform of choice has come a long way in the last 3 years. Graduates may not realize what a powerful platform and people connecting tool LinkedIn has evolved into.
So What makes LinkedIn different?
LinkedIn is based on networking with business contacts, people that know your work personally and can honestly vouch for your reputation. This is the place for an individual to have all of their business contacts networked, so that a true picture of a person’s professional experience and goals can be seen. LinkedIn is not really a casual social platform (unlike Twitter) and is taken much more seriously in most circles.
Are there dos and don’ts of creating and maintaining a LinkedIn Profile?
You bet. There are definitely behaviors to avoid when creating a professional profile. It is very important to remember that once something is uploaded to the internet, its difficult to erase it, so it’s imperative you ensure that the information, pictures and content on your profile page are an appropriate representation of how you want yourself to be perceived professionally. A well-groomed, current, and relevant profile can offer opportunities otherwise missed.
Why don’t people just use Facebook?
C’mon, while other social media sites like Facebook have a larger global user base, it is also mainly used as a casual site, for friends and relatives to share updates, photos and funny stories. For these reasons lots of personal information is readily available that you wouldn’t necessarily want anyone to see or read when pursuing professional interests or seeking a new job.
LinkedIn has grown into an awesome networking platform – one that has become the defacto online standard for professional networking. It’s also a tool to help you build and grow your own individual professional network. However it’s imperative to consider how information found online will affect your future and so steps should always be taken to present ones self in the best possible light.