How to Get Started on LinkedIn

How to Get Started on LinkedIn

There are a lot of blogs and information out there about the top ways to use LinkedIn. You can even find ways to optimize your LinkedIn page just like a website. Many people are spending a lot of time and resources focused on Facebook and Twitter. But what about LinkedIn? For most business professionals, the one social network that would provide real (bottom line) results is LinkedIn.

For those of you who do not know, LinkedIn is a social network for professionals. According to LinkedIn, "Over 40 million professionals use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas and opportunities". Where Facebook is used to see what your friends and family are up to, LinkedIn is for seeing what your company, competitors, industry leaders, colleagues, and prospects are doing.

How to Register and Begin Using LinkedIn
Creating an account at LinkedIn is simple. The below steps will walk you through signing up and getting started.

1. Visit http://www.linkedin.com/


2. Complete the form titled "Join LinedIn Today" with your First Name, Last Name, Email, and Create a Password.


3. Complete your geographical location and employment status. This will let people search for you and help you find others to connect with.


4. Check your mailbox for a confirmation email. Follow the link in the email to let LinkedIn confirm your email address.


5. You can now sign in to LinkedIn!

OK now what? Well, just like other social networks, you need to build out your profile! Once logged into LinkedIn use the navigation on the left side to view your profile. From your profile page you can add employment history, your education, a photo, and other contact information. Imagine your profile as a virtual resume, but without a limit on page length. Include as much information as you can. This will help people find you.

Start Getting Connected With Others on LinkedIn
Once you have a profile on LinkedIn you need to start creating "connections". Connections are the LinkedIn version of Facebook's "friends". The quickest way to get connections is to import your contact list. In the left navigation select "Contacts" - "Import Contacts". This will check to see if any of your current contacts are already on LinkedIn. You can also use the search bar at the top of the page to find people too.

Find Groups & Give Back
What is the largest value from LinkedIn? LinkedIn Groups. LinkedIn Groups are ways for people with similar interests to collaborate around topics and discussions. Groups can include professional associations, alumni organizations, and work groups.

To find groups that your interested in, click on "Groups" in the left navigation. From there you can search for groups in your area, interests, or topics of choice. Once you join a group you can post topics, discussions, news articles, jobs, and more. Remember to always give back information and feedback in the groups you join. This will increase your value to the group and help you gain more connections.

Dedicate Time & Stay Up to Date
Moving forward you always want to spend a little bit of time each day or week keeping up with your LinkedIn activities. Imagine your LinkedIn account as a train; it will start off slow but will begin to gain momentum and speed.

Good Luck!

For more help on LinkedIn you can use their help section at: http://linkedin.custhelp.com/.