Post 6: LinkedIn and Professionalism! - Networking has Never Been Easier

Purpose and Solved Problems

This is the first social media form on this blog, whose primary and first purpose is business for all its users.  Usually, business enters the social media field via advertising or reaching out to their customer base.  LinkedIn, a newly acquired Microsoft company, focuses on a different aspect of business, the talent and people behind a business, its primary use being professional networking.  It is the professional social media website, as its competitors don’t even come close to its standing.

LinkedIn is special in that, due to its subject matter and purpose, it helps companies with recruiting and finding new potential employees, while also acting as a conduit for advertising, similar to a normal social media website.  Companies and potential employees can interact with one another, acting as a way for both parties to scope out the other, before a best qualified fit is found for both.  Rather than having to attend a job fair and send an associate or recruiter, a company recruiter can view resumes, as well as qualifications and other information.  Employees can also profile a company, and if they decide the company isn’t for them, they can cross that company of their search.  This saves the company time, money, and resources.

Attempting to use LinkedIn

LinkedIn is easy as well, and prior to writing this post I hadn’t used the app yet.  Updating one’s work experience and resume was easy, as well as making connections with one another.  Credentials, job titles, company names, and other fields populate as you go, saving more valuable time.  Then, as easy as 1,2,3, one can reach out and be in touch with a company recruiter in a matter of no time at all. 

Essentially, a LinkedIn user page functions as a space for a resume, and it does an excellent job of doing just that.  Recruiters can then find one based on their education, credentials, and other fields.  Expanding a professional network is also easy, where one can see if you viewed their profile, and subsequently can choose to add you.  The bigger this network, the easier companies and others can find you to employee.

 A peak at the LinkedIn Mobile App

LinkedIn Features

Under the LinkedIn marketing solutions page, creating a LinkedIn Company Page, only requires a verified individual with permission from the company to create a free company page.  A profile is then created and completed, and followers can be added to a company, as well as employees.  Finally, one can create and share content based upon industry or company news to anyone who has followed their page.  This in turn allows a brand to be promoted and to attract new talent to the company, all within a few interface screens (Create 1).

Certain prolific individuals, such as Bill Gates are deemed “in”fluencers and are considered thought leaders in their particular area, and like a company or other user, can also be followed.  Essentially, LinkedIn offers all professionals be it an individual, a billionaire or prolific figure, or even a large corporation a home, as well as a place to discuss and grow professionally.  Those features are what makes it a more unique platform when compared to other previous topics on the blog.

My Experience

Diving into LinkedIn was a wonderful experience, and reminded me to go ahead and update my own LinkedIn account to reflect my current professional standing.  The navigation from page to page on the website felt natural and I felt very at home after going through so many other social media platforms.  I found that its purpose of connecting all levels of business professionals together for professional networking is masterfully accomplished.  In the span of writing and conducting research from this post, I connected with a Bowling Green Alumni who currently is employed by Reddit, how cool!  For a business looking to hire employees and interact with a broader community on a professional level, look no further.  This is the app for you.  The easy company page creation, allows companies of any size to function and to quickly inform their professional network of exciting news.  Networking has never been easier, all thanks to LinkedIn.

A picture of my LinkedIn Account

Sources/Additional Research

“Create a LinkedIn Company Page – Build Your Business Presence | LinkedIn.” LinkedIn Talent Blog, business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/company-pages.

“LinkedIn.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 May 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LinkedIn.

Team, Wix. “10 Smarter Ways to Promote Your Business on LinkedIn.” Free Website Builder, Official Wix Blog | Web Design & Small Business Tips to Promote Your Site, 7 June 2016, www.wix.com/blog/2014/02/promote-your-business-on-linkedin/.