The Networker's Guide to the Linkedin Treasure Chest.

So, let me start off by saying first whoever created the funny LinkedIn meme LinkedIn : Connect with people for no reason at all definitely was never on Linkedin.. 

Try something like.."For Selfies you have Instagram, for Unproductivity you have Facebook. For anything productive, there's Linkedin." based on the ever funny Mastercard commercials. or ANYTHING ELSE. Literally. But connecting for no reason? That's funny, but in an 'You're so ignorant' manner. :)

So Linkedin. Why do I love thee? Let me quickly count the ways...

1> Targeted Networking:

Linkedin has a Search feature which allows you to enter search parameters that help you connect to targeted pools of people, which may be relevant to your search. And of course, paid accounts have an ever increasing number of parameters depending on your urgency for such connnects which have an even deeper filtration. This can further be narrowed to geography, company, industry, degree, schools, company size, seniority level, looking for, etc etc. Go ahead, use as many as you require to make your search more specific & relevant!

2> Recommendations:

No, no. Not the endorsements tab [God knows why its even there], which almost just about anyone has thousands of, as random people click away everyday as it pops up on their linkedin screen. But the actual written recommendations. Although I have seen rare instances where people ask their friends & close contacts to recommend them [I funnily get recommendation requests from people I have never even worked with a day in my life, guess they don't know how it works, huh?], one can judge a particular person's work by seeing who else has recommended them, if these recommendations have Ex Bosses, Reporting Managers, Satisfied Clients, etc more or less that person is Linkedin add-worthy. So the ardent networker may choose wisely!

3> Its Where The Cool Kids Are At:

So, thanks to its every growing popularity, Almost everyone who cares about their Work / Career / Business is on Linkedin already. So that increases your chances of wanting to add someone & getting to add that someone, since in all probability, they're already on the site. Honestly! A long time ago, I used job sites / job boards at one point in time to connect with candidates. But because of the telling nature of those sites [Read: If you're on a job site, then you must be looking for a job!] many people choose not to be on job sites at all. But Linkedin is more of a must have, given it is a business network where you get to connect with your co-workers, clients, target market all at the same time & showcase how good you are [via Recommendations] without the bias of being a ''Jobseeker'' tag.

4> Global & Local Networks:

At any given point in time, if I wanted, I could be able to connect with the Director of a Native Tribal Health Consortium in Anchorage, Alaska or I could connect with a Legal Manager specializing in Criminal Law in Goregaon, Mumbai, India! Given its insane growth over the last decade, Linkedin has deeply entrenched itself, & in both Local & Global networks. So if you're an Aspiring Entrepreneur, A Global Company or a Travel Happy Jobseeker, you all would benefit from the many ways in which you can connect with Linkedin to just about anybody [with purpose, please :)] who may be 20 blocks, 20 miles or 20 flight hours away! I myself find it extremely easy to connect with just about anybody I want [I currently have 25,000+ connections] It isn't rocket science you know. :)

And please! Complete your Linkedin profile, have a decent picture people can identify you by, request recommendations from people you have worked with, & check your LinkedIn email atleast once a day!

Happy Networking!

Regards,

Neha Asthana