The Benefits of Joining LinkedIn.com

     Social networking has come a long way since the very first website, SixDegrees.com was introduced in 1997.  SixDegree.com was based on the Web of Contacts model of social networking (Wikipedia).  As you may have guessed, the website got its name based on the six degrees of separation idea.  It began letting its members jot down names of “friends, family members, and acquaintances” (Kyrnin), and encouraged non-members to come aboard.  Members were permitted to forward memos, “and post bulletin board items to people in their first, second, and third degrees” (Wikipedia).  Many of today’s social media websites have patterned their sites after SixDegrees.com, for example, LinkedIn.com, owned by the "LinkedIn Corporation" (Wikipedia).

      LinkedIn is social website designed to help its members connect with other experts in their industries’.  In 2000, LinkedIn began in its co-founder’s living room, Reid Hoffman, and was officially launched on May 5, 2003.  The headquarters is located in Mount View, California.  “As of December 31, 2012, LinkedIn operates the world’s largest professional network on the Internet with more than 200 million members in over 200 countries and territories” (LinkedIn). Approximate 64 percent of the people who join the site are from other countries, and it is available in 19 different languages.  At the end of the 2011-12 school year, LinkedIn saw an increase of more than 20 million students and new college graduates.  It is the 25^th most visited site, and people in all professions are joining “at a rate of approximately two new members per second” (LinkedIn).  May people join LinkedIn to design a free profile, network with other credible loyal associates, and “discover breaking news and professional insights” (LinkedIn).  The current CEO is Jeff Weiner, who has gathered together a team of experts “from Yahoo, Google, Microsoft, TiVo, PayPal and Electronic Arts” (LinkedIn).

     At LinkedIn they believe their “members come first”, and try to provide value by offering its members 23 products and services (LinkedIn). Here are some examples of their groups.  LinkedIn Company Pages allows businesses the opportunity to display their company, and network with other experts.  You’ll literally have millions of members at your fingertips, informing them of your latest new, products, services, and employment opportunities.  With LinkedIn Mobile, you can network with members through an app that lets you stay current on the most recent news in your market, while you’re out and about, handling your business.  This app is available for your iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Android, and Windows.  If you are interested, and want more information, go to www.linked.com/mobile.  If you are looking for employment opportunities in your field, then LinkedIn Jobs is a very good place to start. This is the time to take advantage of the free professional profile they allow you to create.  “Over 80% of Fortune 100 companies and thousands of other businesses are using LinkedIn Recruiting Solutions to hire” (LinkedIn). You’ll never know who’s looking, so its best to put your best foot forward.  The last product I’ll discuss are the LinkedIn Groups.  Here is your opportunity to join a trade association in your market.  Once again, here is a chance to network with other members in your market, commenting on discussion boards, writing about and discussing the latest industry trends, finding employment, and making a name for yourself in your chosen profession.

     I joined LinkedIn in 2010, on a recommendation from my cousin.  She is a realtor and was looking for a way to do some networking.  I could here the excitement in her voice as she talked about her new discovery.  Since joining, I have chosen to be a member of five professional trade associations. They are all in the film and television industry. As a matter of fact, I just signed up for a new group called, “NC Indie Film & TV Group”.  It was created in February 2012, in the Durham-Raleigh, North Carolina area, and has 62 members.  The owner, LaMont Johnson, is Owner/Producer at Chieko Alice LLC (LinkedIn).  The reason I signed up for this group is because “it is open to all entertainment professionals that work or would like to work in North Carolina on film or TV productions” (LinkedIn).  As a member, I receive daily or weekly emails, and the latest information on what’s happening in the group.  Another service I have taken full advantage of is LinkedIn Jobs.  This service allows me to see what prospective employers are looking for when they are looking to hire applicants.  Since I am working on my Master’s, I can see what skills I need to brush up on, so I can be more marketable.  A local community college, or the Public Access Channel usually offers classes to train people on the newest equipment.

     LinkedIn is one of the best social media websites to join to enhance your career.  Not only is it free, but it also gives you so much visibility, and puts you in contact with other trustworthy professional members in your industry.  Maybe you should think about joining.