| Specialized knowledge is the name of the game in the | | | | family trip to the beach. |
| modern American society. Most everybody is looking | | | | There are many other business directories or |
| for new tools, new techniques, new tips and tricks and | | | | exchange sites you need to consider, depending on |
| new secrets that will give her a competitive | | | | the type of business you are in, but LinkedIn is the |
| advantage. Nothing wrong with that, provided you don't | | | | most important. You need to be there first and you |
| lose sight of two important factors: you cannot | | | | need to take the take to fully lay out your profile |
| become an expert in every field and you will always | | | | because you will not update it often. It is like publishing |
| have to rely on other people. It is the "other people" | | | | a big resume. Keeping track of what you have done in |
| equation that is the weakest between the two. | | | | business and of who you know. Any time you spend |
| If you are an entrepreneur, you need somebody else | | | | on it will pay back many times. And It is free! |
| to take care it for you and to actually show what can | | | | The first rule to follow when open your account on is |
| be done, while you take care of your business. If you | | | | to use the same user name that you have been using |
| are just looking for a job, the only way to get it is to | | | | on all other major sites, like Facebook. The ideal is to |
| know somebody that will let you into it, giving you | | | | have your real name as user name. |
| preference over a number of other people who have | | | | Also your bio information must be consistent and |
| the same skills as you have or better. | | | | updated compared to what you have on other sites, |
| Individual knowledge of systems and tools is cherished | | | | although here it will be expanded much more. |
| by those who want to be successful and I see a | | | | Remember, this is a static site, meaning it will not |
| growing number of people who put a substantial | | | | change often. So you'll have to take the time to |
| amount of effort and time into trying to learn how to | | | | develop well your profile the first time and then forget |
| do things better, although many times they are not | | | | about it for a while. |
| willing to pay for assistance so they make the mistake | | | | The completeness of the profile is important. You |
| of trying to do it all themselves (I have been there so I | | | | might not be able to get done with it in just one day, so |
| am talking out of experience). | | | | you have to commit yourself into completing it during |
| Several people know that networking is important, but | | | | the following days. Some general tips to follow. |
| then they lack a true system on how to go about it. It | | | | 1. add as many past employers as you can, this will |
| is not enough to show up to meetings and exchange | | | | enable more ex-colleagues to find you. |
| business cards. In the first place you have to nourish | | | | 2. create a "Public Profile" with your name (like |
| the relationship that you create in a casual meeting and | | | | linkedin.com/in/yourname) and make sure it is visible by |
| you need to expand beyond the people you can | | | | everybody (enable the Full View option into "Edit Public |
| personally meet because many times business will | | | | Profile Settings". This will make it is easier for people to |
| come from far away. | | | | find you on the Web. |
| So there is a system that you can use and that it is | | | | 3. make sure your professional headline contains as |
| sometimes overlooked. It is a site named LinkedIn. It | | | | many keywords as you want to use to be found in a |
| doesn't compare with Facebook or Twitter, although it | | | | search. |
| is just as important as the latter two if you want to | | | | 4. add a professional photo to your profile (if you don't |
| brand yourself on social media. LinkedIn is the first | | | | have one, get one produced for you) |
| place you must establish your presence in business. It | | | | 5. start connecting with current and past colleagues, |
| doesn't require dynamic content like Facebook: you | | | | partners and people you have done business with. |
| don't have to update it regularly and you are not | | | | 6. leave recommendations for the people you can |
| expected to use it to publish the pictures of your latest | | | | honestly recommend and they will possibly reciprocate. |