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Are You Linked In?
You may or may not have a LinkedIn profile. Being on LinkedIn is certainly a component of being ‘linked in’ but it is not the only component. In fact, I know plenty of people who are on LinkedIn but who are not ‘linked in’.
Being linked in is about being connected but more so about being engaged. Having 50, 500, or 5,000 connections means little if you don't have relationships with those people or if you don't know enough about them to be able to help them or to ask them for help. Think quality over quantity. I admit that I don’t personally know each and every one of my LinkedIn contacts but I have taken the time to at least look at the profiles of those who have asked to connect with me so that I have a sense of who I am accepting into my network. I hope that anyone I reach out to would do the same. Remember that networking is about sharing information. When you know who is in your network you are in a better position to help them and the more the people in your network know about you the better equipped they will be to help you. The time to start getting linked in is now. Get connected now. Establish and develop relationships now.
When you are looking for work, either by choice or necessity, one of your many strategies likely includes letting the people you know what type of work you are looking for; your relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities for that type of work; and what you would like their help with. Being linked in to a network of people you know and trust is very important, especially when you are looking for work. The majority of jobs are available through what is commonly called the hidden job market. These are the jobs that aren’t advertised or posted and that are most often discovered or accessed through networking.
One of the challenges in networking is everybody thinks it's making cold calls to strangers. Actually, it's the people who already have strong trust relationships with you, who know you're dedicated, smart, a team player, who can help you. ~ Reid Hoffman
There are many ways to get linked in. Family, friends, classmates, instructors, coworkers (past and present), colleagues, industry and professional associations, vendors, clients, and volunteer and community contacts are excellent people to connect with and to build and maintain relationships with. LinkedIn is just one of the ways to build and maintain your network.
Interested in learning more about using LinkedIn as a networking and job search resource?
This YouTube video features several perspectives and some excellent tips to help you maximize your LinkedIn experience. If we aren’t already connected on LinkedIn please feel free to view my profile and send me an invitation to connect.
Happy Networking,
For a FREE 30 minute job search consultation please feel free to contact Paula directly at or 780.589.2245.
For a FREE 30 minute consultation please feel free to contact Paula directly at paula@careerdesignsforlife.com or 780.589.2245. Connect with Paula on LinkedIn or Facebook.
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