4 Ways LinkedIn can be useful to you as a professional

Back in November I did a post called, Developing a Strong LinkedIn Profile.  I recently ran across this infographic which I thought was the perfect follow-up to that blog post.  This infographic looks at what to do once you have your LinkedIn profile up and running.

Many people start a LinkedIn account and then have no idea what they are supposed to do with it.  I was guilty of that for the first few months I had mine.  I wasn't looking for a job and I'm not in sales or recruiting so I didn't really know how I was supposed to be using LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is a professional networking site, that really should have been all I needed to know, but still I hesitated doing much with it.  Then one day I sat down and tried to really work on my profile and use it as a marketing and branding tool for myself.  I might not be actively looking for a job right now, but I ALWAYS want the window of opportunity to be open so I decided I better look as good as possible in the social media world because you never know who is looking.

Here are four ways LinkedIn can be useful to you as a professional:

1. It's a great job search tool.  If networking is the #1 way Americans find jobs (somewhere between 70-80%) then the #1 professional networking site, LinkedIn, should be the "go-to" tool.  
2. It's a great professional development tool.  Join professional groups on LinkedIn and start joining in on the conversation.  Just today I got a link to a free webinar on how to network in the job search, links to several articles on career development, and a description of a great program a career center implemented at their school.  This is all expanding my knowledge and expertise in the career development field.
3. It's a great branding tool.  Setting up my LinkedIn profile the way I want and sharing the information that I want others to know about me gives me some control over my digital footprint.  I can strategically develop my professional image and brand.  
4. Oh yea, it's a great networking tool!  LinkedIn is how I manage most of my professional contacts.  If I meet someone at a conference or a meeting I will ask for their business card and then go connect with them on LinkedIn.  Now, I don't have to keep up with business cards and all of my professional contacts are handy all the time.  LinkedIn helps me connect with other professionals by suggesting people that I may know or want to connect with.  LinkedIn provides you with a wonderful avenue to reach out and connect with people for business and professional purposes.

How do you use LinkedIn?