Getting Professional with LinkedIn

As a professional niche social networking site, LinkedIn is best used to connect with professional colleagues (former and current) and with individuals in the same or related industries to establish relationships and to find recommended services. LinkedIn boasts over 40 million experienced professionals around the world in over 150 countries.^[69]

LinkedIn is best for finding potential clients, service providers, subject experts, and colleagues. The service can connect professionals for business opportunities and jobs as well, and many recruiters and other job seekers use the site to find new careers.

LinkedIn works similarly to Facebook and MySpace in terms of registration. New users sign up and complete their profiles like a resume. LinkedIn encourages profile completeness: it urges users to complete their profiles to 100% by filling out educational background and past jobs, and by getting recommendations from colleagues who are in the same user’s network.