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Preface    

LinkedIn  is  a  social  media  site  that  many  business  professionals  and  companies  disregard  due  to  its  complexities.  The  truth  is,  I  am  constantly  learning  more  about  LinkedIn  each  day  because  of  the  vast  amount  of  features  that  it  has  to  offer.  In  my  

opinion,  LinkedIn  is  the  most  important  social  networking  site  for  both  individuals  and  businesses  alike.  This  manual  will  explain  why  it  is  essential  to  your  business  and  profession,  how  to  optimize  your  experience  on  LinkedIn,  and  provide  step-­‐by-­‐step  

instructions  to  do  so.    

LinkedIn  Manual      Facebook,  Twitter,  Tumblr:  you’ve  certainly  heard  of  these  social  media  platforms.  So  what  is  it  that  separates  LinkedIn  from  the  rest  and  why  should  you  invest  your  valuable  time  into  this  website?  I’ll  answer  these  questions  and  more  in  this  online  LinkedIn  Manual.  Before  we  get  to  the  why,  let’s  begin  with  the  what:  what  is  LinkedIn?      What  is  LinkedIn?  LinkedIn  is  a  social  networking  site  for  business  professionals.  It  was  launched  in  2003  and  is  currently  the  #1  social  networking  site  for  business  professionals  with  over  250  million  members  as  of  this  writing.  LinkedIn  helps  professionals  find  and  share  opportunities  with  individuals  in  their  field.  It  is  also  a  tool  that  recruiters  use  in  the  job  market.  According  to  the  2013  Jobvite  Social  Recruiting  Survey,  94%  of  recruiters  today  use  social  media  in  their  search  for  employees.    Not  to  mention  that  executives  from  every  Fortune  500  Company  are  registered  on  LinkedIn.  Its  Company  Pages  feature  is  also  a  significant  tool  for  companies  showcasing  their  products  and  services.  If  you  are  to  be  taken  seriously  as  a  professional,  today’s  most  pertinent  professional  platform  is  LinkedIn.    Why  should  you  join?  People  who  can  gain  from  LinkedIn  are  business  owners,  entrepreneurs,  industry  professionals,  companies,  or  motivated  individuals.  But  why  and  how  will  it  benefit  you?  To  begin,  LinkedIn  allows  you  to  develop  a  professional  profile  –  almost  like  having  your  own  website.  Just  like  a  resume,  your  profile  explains  your  experience,  capabilities,  and  establishes  you  as  a  credible  and  authoritative  person  in  your  field.  However,  what  separates  this  from  a  paper  resume  is  that  LinkedIn  makes  you  searchable  on  the  Internet,  spotlighting  your  credentials  to  millions  of  employers,  colleagues,  and  potential  collaborators.  The  difference  between  LinkedIn  and  Google  is  that  LinkedIn  gives  you  control  over  what  people  can  see  in  the  search.