It is difficult to find a person who is not registered in any social network. Of course, today it is one of the most important components of constant communication with friends, acquaintances, comrades of interest. However, for the most part, all this concerns social life, but what about professional? After all, it is equally important to be aware of what is happening in your professional field, communicate with colleagues, share knowledge and experience, and build up business ties. For some, it will be a real discovery that there is a network created specifically for this purpose. It's called LinkedIn. In Russia, few people know about it yet, but those who know do not quite understand how it can be useful. Therefore, in this article we will fill this gap and explain what LinkedIn is, how to use it and why.
Why do we need LinkedIn?
Tell me what you do to find your oldfriend or former classmate? Obviously, go to your account in one of the social networks - in Odnoklassniki, VKontakte or Facebook. What do you think recruiters do in America (and many already in Europe) in order to find a good professional for a vacancy that has opened in the company? No, they don't go to job sites, but go straight to LinkedIn. Why? Because they know - there they will be able to find the one they need, having received detailed information about him and recommendations that guarantee the professionalism of the candidate. Do you want the work itself to look for you, and not you for it? Then you need a professional LinkedIn network - don't waste time and sign up soon!
LinkedIn Code of Conduct
How does this resource work? Its meaning is to make professional connections, gain experience and share knowledge with colleagues and, of course, find a job. But not everything is so simple. Let's go in order.
Creating and completing a profile
The first thing you do is register and complete your online profile. This is similar to a resume, but more detailed and useful. Try to fill it as completely as possible (not 20-30%, but 100%). What information should be provided? To get started, it would be nice to enter the following information:
1. Full name and the name of your specialization/profession.
2. Education, work experience, skills, courses. Write only about what is related to your professional activities: if you are a web designer, you should not mentioncutting and sewing courses or the ability to sit on a twine.
3. Recommendations. This is a very important point that will help you prove your professionalism (ask colleagues or managers with whom you have worked to write you letters of recommendation).
4. background. It's kind of like a cover letter. List your aspirations and goals here. Write what you like about your profession and what development plans you have.
5. Contacts. And the more there are, the better. This includes mobile communications, emails, and Skype.
6. Awards, certificates, tests and more. If you have any of these, don't forget to write about it.
All of this information must be filled out carefully and thoughtfully, because what is a LinkedIn profile? This is your professional face, which means you need to treat it accordingly.
Professional activity: first steps
Filling out your CV profile does not end your work, but only begins. Now you need to get the first contacts. Add your friends, colleagues. One day, one of them can help you meet the right person. Join professional interest groups, the maximum number is 50 (it is better to use the entire maximum allowed). What to do in groups? Gain new knowledge, follow developments and news in your field of activity, acquire new useful contacts.
Speaking of skills. Go to the pages of your colleagues and put confirmation of their skills, they will answer you the same. This will makethey are more significant, because they were confirmed by other people.
Building professional connections and communication
Now you need to actively increase your contacts and make yourself known. What is LinkedIn? This is the place to find a professional. Recruiters post interesting vacancies here, as well as independently search for candidates by viewing groups and evaluating participants. That is why it is very important to be active - do not neglect to participate in discussions, give advice and answer questions on the forums (of course, if you know the answer for sure). This will make you stand out. Believe me, soon you will start receiving job offers that you will not have time to dismiss (or maybe you will find your dream job this way).
In addition, add to your contacts heads and managers of companies that you are interested in, recruiters and specialists working in your professional field. The more connections you have, the faster they will grow, the more chances you will have to find interesting offers and develop your career.
Contacts: careful selection
However, be selective in your contacts - add people who connect you with professional and business interests, colleagues and just useful people. But a neighbor on the landing, for example, or a friend from a vacation in Turkey, should not be added. This can sometimes work against you. If you already have someone objectionable on your list of professional connections, it will be useful for you to know howdelete a contact on LinkedIn. It's easy to do: in the "Network" menu, select the "Address book" item, in the "Contacts" tab, find the "Delete contacts" link, select the people you want to delete, then click on the appropriate button. Those users who have been excluded from your contact list will receive notifications about this.
LinkedIn is an important step in your professional journey
Even if you are not currently looking for a job, keep up to date with information about your professional experience, acquired skills, and keep in touch. One day, when you want to change jobs, it will not be difficult to do this.
In Russia, this resource is not yet very popular. Few people know what LinkedIn is. Reviews about this professional network are mixed, and all because people do not understand its importance and benefits for their professional development. However, there is no doubt that there is a benefit. Just think - today it has more than 200 million registered users, of which about half are in America. The network is popular in Europe and even in India. Therefore, if you plan to build a career abroad in the future, you must register on LinkedIn - and the sooner the better.
Deleting a LinkedIn account: instructions
Despite the fact that this professional social network is very useful, there may be reasons why you want to delete your account. Well, this is everyone's business and right. If you have made this decision, thenRead how to leave LinkedIn. Here is a step by step guide:
1. Go to your profile and click on the button with your name located in the upper right corner.
2. A drop-down list will open, in which you need to select the "Settings" item. Under the "Account" tab, you will see the item "Delete account".
3. Click on it and select the reason why you want to leave the network.
4. Confirm your account information by clicking "Account Verification".
5. On the next page, perform the final action - click "Delete account". It will be closed within 72 hours.
That's how easy it is to delete your profile in the professional network, let alone open and fill out. If you already have a large network of contacts, and you were an active user, a member of groups, then think twice before saying goodbye to LinkedIn. Reviews of many professionals and recruiters say that sooner or later this resource can be very useful for everyone. Therefore, if you have not yet felt the usefulness of the network, do not give up its capabilities. Surely a case will turn up when she will help you move up the career ladder or make useful contacts.
Based on everything we've said, what is LinkedIn in a nutshell? This is VKontakte, only not for friendly, but for professional communication and growth.
