LINKEDIN DEFINITIONS Here are a few useful terms you should know when using LinkedIn: Connections – Connections are other registered users who you know personally on LinkedIn. Although you can invite anyone to be a connection, they will need to set up an account to use the site. Second-degree connections – These are the connections that your connections have. For example, you’re friends with Bill, who is directly connected with his boss. Bill’s boss is a second-degree connection for you. Third-degree connection – Any connections from your second-degree connects are third-degree connections. So, Bill’s boss’s connections would be your third-degree connections. Profile page – This is your personal page on LinkedIn. All registered users with LinkedIn can view it (unless you set it to be a private page). Your profile page can list your education, past work history, current and past projects, groups and associations, and more. Users can also forward your profile page to contacts on their lists. You can also make your profile page “public” so that anyone (even people not on LinkedIn) can view it. Recommendations – Your connections can write recommendations, or testimonials, for your profile. These can be a powerful testament to your business and professional skills. Introductions – Introductions are when a third party introduces two people who weren’t currently connected. For instance, your colleague Sue and your client Dan don’t know each other. You think Sue could help solve a problem that Dan is having with one of his projects, so you introduce Sue and Dan through LinkedIn. Introductions are simply a way to bring people together on the site.
PROFESSIONAL USE There are several ways to use LinkedIn to help you grow professionally: Networking – LinkedIn allows you to network with people and professional organisations in your industry. This helps you stay up-to-date with industry trends and share information with others who do similar work to you. In addition to networking with people in your LinkedIn extended network, you can also set up and join specific groups to discuss ideas and share industry news. This is a great way to build your professional network further. Asking and answering questions – Many people use the groups on LinkedIn as a kind of think tank or open brainstorming session. By offering your expertise to those in your network, you establish trust and improve your reputation as an expert. You can also use your profile’s status update to ask questions to people in your network, or share news or insight. (Your status feed on LinkedIn works in a similar way to a Twitter® timeline.) Research – You can use LinkedIn to find out more about the people and organisations that you do business with. For example, imagine that you’re about to meet with an important potential client. You do a quick search on LinkedIn and discover that the person went to the same university as you. In fact, you know several of the same people. You now have a valuable conversation starter that will help you build rapport with the client. Job searching tool – Add your personal career interests to this tool and jobs will be recommended to you. The more you use this function, the more relevant the jobs that are recommended. You can also select a button to let recruiters know that you are open to looking for certain types of roles.
LINKEDIN IS A BUSINESS-FOCUSED SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE. IT HELPS PEOPLE NETWORK PROFESSIONALLY AND IS FREE TO USE. THE SITE LETS YOU FIND OTHER BUSINESS ASSOCIATES, CLIENTS, AND COLLEAGUES WHOM YOU ALREADY KNOW. YOU “CONNECT” WITH THEM THROUGH THE SITE, AND THEY THEN BECOME PART OF YOUR NETWORK. Once you’ve connected with a person, you will then have access to their list of connections – this is called your “extended network.” You can request an introduction to people in your extended network through your mutual contact. LinkedIn also provides other features including the ability to set up and join groups, and a jobs section where members can advertise open positions or apply for jobs.
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