19 May Become a LinkedIn Pro: Why LinkedIn Is So Important
LinkedIn is one of the oldest social media platforms out there – 20 years since its launch! And it’s one of the most successful. But if you’re walking the line on whether you should or shouldn’t open a LinkedIn account, wondering if it’s worth creating yet another profile, here are some insights on why LinkedIn is important, how it is different from other platforms, and what it can do for professionals everywhere.
A Smashing Success
At last check, LinkedIn reported 830 million members! This alone is reason, as a professional, to follow the crowd and join the platform. It is, without question, the dominant social-network watering hole for workers across all industries around the globe.
830 million members means a plethora of opportunities for career networking, career building, staying on top of industry news and progress, and even learning. While there are other job resource sites out there, 93% of recruiters use LinkedIn to recruit and source talent. It’s the place to see and be seen.
In addition, with 58 million companies registered, it’s also the most widely-used platform of the Fortune 500. In fact, 92% of Fortune 500 CEOs are on LinkedIn.
Still not convinced? According to LinkedIn, 50 million members use LinkedIn to search for jobs per week, 95 applications are submitted per second, and six people are hired every minute.
A Singular Focus
Compare LinkedIn to other major social media sites like Twitter and Facebook: Those other platforms – while offering avenues for business advertising and development, networking, and thought leadership – are mainly geared toward personal social interactions. You may put your career details on your profile and “friend” your co-workers, but you’re more likely to be posting pictures of your latest vacation, that amazing farm-to-table brunch you just had, or funny pet videos.
LinkedIn is solely focused on careers. And that’s the focus of its members too. By the way, it’s also the most trusted social platform out there and seems to avoid the headache of bad press that other networks deal with from time to time.
Get On Board (Job Boards)
So, what can you do with a LinkedIn account? Well, with all those millions of members, recruiters, managers, and CEOs, you can search as much or as little as you want for the job of your dreams. Browse LinkedIn job boards, save job searches, follow people, groups, and companies that match your interests and goals, and even apply right then and there!
If you’re not ready to apply just yet or there isn’t an opening, LinkedIn offers job alert settings so you can receive notifications and easily stay in the know.
You can research companies you might be interested in applying to, and if you’ve secured an interview, perusing their LinkedIn page is a great way to see what they’re about and get a feel for their culture and influence.
Plus, rather than having a wallet or desk drawer full of unorganized business cards, LinkedIn is a much more accessible way to keep track of all your contacts and network.
Do you have your own personal site? LinkedIn is still a must – not just for building trust in your brand and networking, but for maximizing your search engine opportunities. Google loves LinkedIn. It’s much easier to get your LinkedIn page to rank in search engine results than your own online portfolio or personal website.
No matter what stage you’re at in your career, don’t underestimate how important LinkedIn can be for your short and long-term goals. This platform should be an integral part of your career-building strategy.
More Tips to Come…
Convinced? Then stay tuned for our next blog installments! We’ll tell you all you need to know about building the perfect profile and using LinkedIn to your full advantage. Here’s to a LinkedIn-savvy career!
