LinkedIn

Task 1 

I ummed and ahhed about where to add the information of LinkedIn, I mean it is essentially a social networking site but really it's designed for professional networking. It allows you to find jobs and connect with potential business clients/partners. So I felt that this unique "social" networking site deserved its own post.

Co founded in May 2003,LinkedIn now boasts more than 300 million users  Making it one of the fastest growing professional networks and therefore a great platform to advertise yourself.

Once you have registered you create a profile page that focuses on employment and education history.  After filling out basic information you will add entries for employment history including job title, employer, industry, dates and a short description of what the job entailed. You will also need to create separate education entries that will include the school's name, degree earned, years attended. this information can be used by linked in to discover former and current colleagues and classmates.

Having completed your profile, you can begin finding contacts through colleague and classmate searches, name searches or uploading your email contact.  Once you have those contacts you gain access to your connections' connections and so your network begins to grow.

To add to your profile you can:

• Post a write a profile picture

• Add a "summary", a description of your skills and experience.

• Link your other websites

• add a list of interests

Advantages of using LinkedIn

• LinkedIn gives you exposure if someone googles your name google will direct them to your  LinkedIn page

• You can link your twitter accounts and other social networks to LinkedIn. so that when you update you social network your LinkedIn can post the same information for your contacts to see.

• Creates networking opportunities  with colleagues, contacts and peers related to your industry.

Disadvantages of using LinkedIn

• LinkedIn advertising is not highly targeted.

• Difficult to prevent spam

• LinkedIn has many components and is not very simple it can be overwhelming.