By Liza Butcher
LinkedIn has evolved from being a recruiter/job-hunting site to the most powerful online professional networking tool, providing users with a way to create a professional digital footprint.
LinkedIn is many things to many people. It is a social network, a branding platform, and a diverse community, as well as home to smaller communities and groups. It is a news aggregator, a relationship management tool, a networking channel and a marketplace for showcasing brand products/services.
Ten ways I use LinkedIn
I use a number of social media platforms, but I turn to LinkedIn to
- Reach out to influencers and like-minded professionals for face-to-face networking meetings
- Build my personal brand by showcasing my unique values, interests, passions, expertise, strengths, purpose, achievements, skills and attributes
- Keep up with the latest sector/industry trends and innovations to spot opportunities, build my expertise and creditability, and give myself a competitive edge when shaping strategies
- Nurture connections by sharing articles, blogs or other resources that may be beneficial and helpful to them
- Research current and past employees of a company to learn about the corporate culture, prepare to apply for a position or go to an interview
- Leverage the experience of thought-leaders to find answers to my questions and accelerate my growth
- Share my knowledge with others by commenting on articles and content, contributing to group discussions, answering questions and providing advice
- Pay it forward by helping to connect my connections, writing an unexpected and genuine recommendation, endorsing a connection’s skills and/or offering mentorship
- Build a community of supporters and allies I can call on for guidance and vice versa
- Build my authority and visibility by managing and contributing to a LinkedIn Group
Career development and mentoring
No two career paths are identical. Each person has his or her own unique challenges and successes. It is particularly energizing to find a profile of someone with similar career aspirations, either just a few steps ahead of me or a few steps behind.
I am truly lucky to have such a variety and breadth of mentors that continually help me out along my career journey.
I will always be committed to provide mentorship and share my experiences with those who are discovering their own unique career path.
Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn!
Join us at the Canadian Public Relations Society – Toronto LinkedIn Group.
This blog post was inspired by Inside PR episode 366: Kelly Blazek, LinkedIn Connections, and Proper Communication. Inside PR is a weekly podcast about public relations, social media, digital media, marketing and communications, hosted by Gini Dietrich, founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich in Chicago, Joseph Thornley, CPRS Ottawa member and CEO of Thornley Fallis Communications, and Martin Waxman, APR, CPRS Toronto member and Executive Vice President at Thornley Fallis Communications.