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In the world of social networking, job hunters can have a difficult time maintaining a professional online presence that still effectively markets their personal brands. Today, having a traditional resume with a nice layout, extensive job experience, and a master’s degree might not be enough to get your name to potential employers. For networking and other job-hunting activities, LinkedIn can be a career professional’s best resource.

With great Google rankings and a built-in job search feature, LinkedIn is a must-have resource for any job seeker.

LinkedIn functions like other social networks in that you can build a profile, add connections, participate in groups, and share links. It’s different than other places, however, because it is specifically geared toward professional networking. Your profile is your online resume, your connections help you network, and groups are often extensions of real-world professional organizations. With this online resume, you can showcase yourself in a much more in-depth way than is possible with a standard hard-copy resume.

You can list your job history, education, and skills, of course, but you can also create a profile in any other language you speak, link to samples of your work, and more. It’s a way for your to really give employers and colleagues an in-depth look at the professional you.

Even better, LinkedIn allows you to gather and display recommendations from your colleagues and bosses. It’s a one-stop place for you to connect and share your abilities and qualifications.

Even when you have to submit a hard-copy resume for job interviews, including a link to your LinkedIn profile with your contact information can help you harness its features for help. 

LinkedIn is a great resource for any job seeker. New professionals, those transitioning careers, and even college students can and should use it. For students and new grads, it can be an effective way to build a professional network, starting with friends and peers as well as co-workers and professors. Groups allow you to connect and discuss professional issues, while the built-in job search function can be invaluable.

Whether you’re attempting to market yourself on the job scene or advertising a start-up business, LinkedIn is an exceptional resource. Using it to your advantage can be a great boon to your professional life, while still allowing you to maintain a social life around the internet.

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This entry was posted on Friday, November 18th, 2011 at 2:26 pm and is filed under Career, Job Search, Networking, Online Career Space, Resumes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.