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The Power of a Strong LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn is a professional social networking service that was first launched in May of 2003. Since its birth, the service has grown to over 200 million users as of this past summer. But why is it that so many people are rapidly introducing LinkedIn to their suite of social media and online communication systems? The answer is best described by a variety of works, one being a web article found with the following link (http://jobs.answers.com/online-career-resources/the-power-of-linkedin-how-social-networking-and-patience-can-net-you-a-job). Furthermore, an interesting YouTube video shows a visual representation of how a LinkedIn profile increases your potency as a professional networker (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC99Nw2JX8w#t=45).

The first linked resource highlights a critical point about how LinkedIn differs from other social media networks; LinkedIn is ‘strictly business’. From this context, the importance of 2nd and 3rd degree connections becomes much more relevant. The idea that new information comes from outside of your close inner circle of connections is extremely significant in the professional networking setting. Individuals looking for job opportunities and pertinent business connections must inevitably search through higher degree connections for this kind of information. Fortunately, LinkedIn emphasizes this type of information flow: the service offers a system where a user can identify how many degrees of connections separate the user from the desired source of information. What is more, the user can explore resources that this higher degree connection finds important and relevant, such as companies, LinkedIn “groups”, or even other connections in the user’s network.

This kind of information flow between distant connections is emphasized by the concept of a local bridge, whereby the addition of a close connection from a seemingly distant network component can provide the user with a large influx of fresh information about career opportunities. Local bridges are constantly made over LinkedIn as users are introduced to distant connections through the system, where they can engage in professional interactions that provide the proper setting for establishing new connections.

In a world where information is power, it comes with no surprise that the individuals with the most knowledge about their industry of choice have the best luck in finding new career opportunities. LinkedIn provides an excellent resource for individuals to explore the plethora of information and connections relevant to their careers, as well as a means for establishing such connections in a fast and effective manner. Once bridges are built to new areas of information, the opportunities for finding jobs and business connections rapidly become more plentiful. The real challenge lies in developing one’s professional self such that when the opportunity arises, the user can respond with calculated and effective professionalism.

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