For those who still don’t understand LinkedIn

I attended a great social media conference yesterday in Pewaukee, Wis. sponsored by ThinkTank Live. One of the presentations, “Opt In and Go Social – Social Media Optimization” focused on the big four areas of social media – Facebook, Twitter, blogging and LinkedIn. I was supremely surprised to learn that so many people possess LinkedIn profiles, but don’t understand what the site is good for. So, I thought I’d bring out the trusty In Plain English series to help explain.

I personally love LinkedIn. I’ve been introduced to people through it, follow local organizations and groups through it, have helped others find jobs and found my current job by following updates of a fellow connection. I make genuine recommendations to colleagues who deserve them, and in turn have found that my recommendations are great quotes to use on my online portfolio.

Of all the social media sites out there, I feel like LinkedIn is one of the simplest, straightforward networks out there. It doesn’t take a lot of work to keep up with it, and unlike Twitter, you won’t fall behind by not visiting the site daily or hourly. I like to think of LinkedIn as my social media resume. Even if you’re not looking for a job right now, it’s always a good idea to keep your resume up-to-date. Because when you unexpectedly find yourself looking for work some day, you’re going to wish you’d kept up on it. If you already have your LinkedIn network built strong, if that day comes, you’ll find yourself in good shape.