How To Use Linkedin

 LinkedIn is considered one of "the" social networks for business. How do you use LinkedIn? In my experience it has allowed me to represent myself in way that is more professional than other social media platforms.
LinkedIn features:
incorporate a resume
keyword skill set
employment history
education background
recommendations

It's a site that allows you to connect with others you have worked with in the present or the past at a particular company. Recommendations are always nice because it gives others a sense of how you work with others. Is it possible to have your best friend recommend how awesome you are? Of course is it but clearly the more recommendations you have the better idea a future employer will have about you. Many of the folks in my real life circle have told me that employers are reviewing LinkedIn profiles just as much as they do a Facebook account. There are a number of social media sites to use but LinkedIn to me is where you want to put your best professional foot forward. On that note and what has prompted me to write this post is because my inbox alerted me to a LinkedIn connection request.


Here is the important part for me, I NEED to know who you are before your added to my network. That might turn people off but honestly that is what works best for my LinkedIn profile. People I know personally, or we have worked on a project together, or we are connected on another social network, maybe we met at a conference, these are the people that are added. As a business owner and blogger many of my recommendations are from projects. Networking is great but there are other platforms that I use for a while until I get to know you better. Another words I don't blindly add people to my LinkedIn account just for the sake of having numerous connections. 

For example this particular person sent me a request. The name didn't ring a bell. As an online consultant I remember twitter handles, blogs, names of companies, or logos and that is why branding is so important. Back to the invitation, I clicked through to see how I might know this person. There wasn't much there at all. It's important to take care of your account. If you take the time to open an account complete it before you send out invitations to connect. 
Add the profile photo
Add the resume
Add the education
How else will I know who you are? What do you think? Does it really matter to you who you add to your LinkedIn network?