Get to Know LinkedIn

LinkedIn is another social media platform used to promote yourself or your company. To first understand LinkedIn, you must understand the terminology. A connection is when you know someone on LinkedIn, you then request to “connect” with that person. You can then connect with your friends’ connections as well. LinkedIn will also show you connections you might have in common with someone and suggest connections for you. You may also request a connection to a person you have interest in working with and network yourself. LinkedIn also offers another resource, the recommendation tab. Once a user is registered on LinkedIn, they can send a request for written recommendations to friends, family, or previous employers. Recommendations are displayed on the user’s page, making it easy and accessible for employers to find recommendations. This is a valuable networking tool and a great way to keep in contact with friends, family members, employees, co-workers, and more.

LinkedIn can be used for personal use or professional use and they often overlap in the way they are used. First I will talk about how LinkedIn can play a vital role in your personal life and next I will address the company side to it.

LinkedIn is a social media website primarily used to network you. LinkedIn users are utilizing this resource to sell themselves to companies. LinkedIn offers access to upload resumes onto one’s LinkedIn page. One can also type a summary about themselves; this makes their LinkedIn page personal and allows the person to talk about themselves in their own words. Also, LinkedIn allows one to search, follow, and connect with companies and colleagues. LinkedIn has made the interview process a lot easier for candidates and companies alike.

For companies, LinkedIn is utilized as an information site, making it easier for candidates to learn about the company and research contact information. When a candidate uploads a resume, the company can easily access the information and evaluate the candidate for a either a current position, or connect with the person to work with him/her in the future. The recommendation tab is a key to companies. By using these two resources, employers can go to a candidate’s page and see their previous experience and qualifications. Companies can search for candidates and post job openings and positions available on LinkedIn. This makes the interviewing process easier for the employer since they can determine if the candidate is qualified for the position.

LinkedIn is speeding up the way people and companies handle networking and looking for jobs. In this economy, it is important to sell yourself and make a good first impression. LinkedIn has made it easier for people to connect with colleagues and potential employers. It has helped the way people do business and continues to impact the industry.

Even the experts don’t know it all

Being an expert in your field doesn’t mean you will always know ALL the answers. Clients and prospects want to know your company has a vast knowledge, but oftentimes they also appreciate it when you admit when you don’t know the answer. The most important thing, however, is to take the time to find the answer so you and the client can be the better for it.

Several years ago, an expectant mother about to have her first child was asking friends, family, and her midwife about recommendations for a pediatrician. One name popped up several times for a variety of sound reasons. In her prepared childbirth class, a couple added their recommendation of the same pediatrician because he had been stumped by the set of symptoms exhibited by their older child. The pediatrician honestly admitted he wasn’t sure and took the care to research it further to reach a conclusive diagnosis. Because of that honesty and research, they vowed he would be all their kids’ pediatrician. The new mother chose him and when her first-born had a slightly common condition that children sometimes outgrow, the pediatrician didn’t dismiss it and chose to have it checked out more thoroughly in case intervention was needed. Since then, she has chosen him for all her children.

Social networks serve to increase the scope of where customers and clients seek these recommendations. Today, the expectant mom may seek these recommendations from her friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances near and far through Facebook, discussion boards, local blogs and websites.

Being well-known as an expert is great, but being well-known AND willing to continue advancing that expertise to benefit your customer is even better.