So what do you actually know about LinkedIn?

You have probably heard about LinkedIn. People will tell you that it’s a bit like Facebook—only for business people, and that you should definitely have a LinkedIn profile. What they don’t really tell you is why!

Essentially, LinkedIn is your public face. It’s the face and personality you take to work, to win a new client, to get a promotion. It should display the very best of who you are and the person you want to be. It’s not weekend you lying on the couch with a pizza or football fan you, or the you who goes to nightclubs on Saturday night. It’s the professional version who needs to put his best food forward.

A LinkedIn profile is not your resume

As your LinkedIn profile generally ranks high in Google search results for your name, your profile needs to be up-to-date, accurate, and complete. Your LinkedIn profile should complement — not duplicate — your résumé. Your resume can get away with speaking of challenges and problems overcome as it is seen by a small audience of individuals. That same information revealed publicly though, may embarrass or worse, infuriate your current employer should it be ‘in the wild’ and this can be particularly detrimental to your reputation and career.

Be especially careful to ensure your resume and your LinkedIn profile are in sync, as prospective employers are likely to Google you and will compare the two.

The power of networking lies in “friends of friends,” so the larger your network, the easier it will be to connect with someone you don’t know (yet). Remember the principal of “six degrees of separation.”

This is a living online document

Your LinkedIn profile is an evolving snapshot of you. You should be updating it regularly with new connections, status updates, and activity (especially within LinkedIn Groups). Check in on LinkedIn regularly—at least every other day if you are in active job search mode; at least once a week for passive jobseekers. Plan on adding a new status update each time you log in.

Explore the people your connections know.

One of the most powerful functions of LinkedIn is the ability to connect you with people who are connections of the people you know. Follow LinkedIn’s guidelines on connecting with people (using InMail or requesting connections through your mutual friend), so that your account is not flagged for spam.

Make your LinkedIn profile work for you

It’s important that you learn to work and grow your network and know your way around. Consequently, having it written and handed over to you as a “done deal”, means you’ll never be in control of how to maximise your network, make new contacts and find your way into the job of your dreams. Consequently, I provide your profile to you with an instruction guide in Microsoft Word. All you need to do is follow the instructions, cut and paste the content into the required fields and you’re done!

Standalone service or package deal

You can purchase a resume package with a LinkedIn profile included—and then your resume and LinkedIn will complement each other beautifully. (Packages and pricing is on the top menu). Or, you can have your LinkedIn written on its own. Whatever you choose, if you’re serious about your job search, LinkedIn is a critical component of your job search arsenal.