5 Ways to Improve your LinkedIn Profile Now

LinkedIn is a big deal.  In May 2011, LinkedIn reached over 100 million members and is continuing to grow at a rapid pace.  With so many professionals using the service, LinkedIn gives you vast opportunities to connect with people in your industry, search for jobs, or find incredible talent.  If you aren’t using LinkedIn yet, what are you waiting for?

LinkedIn offers many advantages, but just like anything else worthwhile, the more you put into it the more you get out of it.  Below are 5 things you can do now to improve your profile and make LinkedIn more effective.

1. Keep your profile updated
Just a few small tweaks to your profile every few weeks will greatly improve your visibility on LinkedIn. You don’t have to give your profile a complete overhaul, but adding a new skill or changing a title will help tremendously.  Along with keeping your profile fresh, your network connections will notice each time you update your profile, keeping you in the forefront.

2. Accept invitations from people outside your circle
LinkedIn is all about expanding your professional network, so don’t be afraid to accept invitations from people you don’t know really well.  The more connections you have, the more professional opportunities you create for yourself.

3. Explain what you do
A job title is great, but it doesn’t really explain your actual role in your position.  Go into more detail with your profile by explaining your daily tasks, how you endorse the company and why your role is relevant.  By elaborating on your job responsibilities, your connections will get a better idea of your capabilities and skills, which is great information for people looking to hire talent or collaborate.

4. Join LinkedIn groups
Groups will service you by putting you in front of people you may have not found through a previous search.  Join groups related to your industry and participate by sharing your knowledge or answering questions. Groups are an ideal way to build relationships and add connections, so take advantage of them!

5. Connect with classmates
Last year, LinkedIn rolled out a system that enables people to connect to alumni of different colleges and universities, allowing you to connect to your fellow classmates.  Just click on your school and select your industry and location and LinkedIn will do the rest.  The classmates database is a simple way to reconnect with people you may have lost touch with or discover folks in your area that not only work in your field, but live nearby.

Using LinkedIn to its full potential will help you build a powerful professional network that can help you stay at the top of your industry, find talent to work with or find a better job. The more you take advantage of the service, the more you will get out of it.

Do you have a story about how LinkedIn has helped you? Share it with us in the comments.

Privacy Concerns with Google’s New Search Feature

Last week, Google introduced new features to their search engine called “Search Plus Your World”. The new features allow users to focus on results from their own social network and highlights content published on Google+, Google’s social networking service.

The addition to Google was likely prompted by the threat that sites like Twitter and Facebook pose to the search giant since they don’t allow Google to log the photos, links or information shared on the sites. Twitter had previously given Google access to tweets, but the contract expired last summer. Facebook has been working with Bing since 2007 and has resisted Google’s attempts to peer into the social network. Without the information shared on these two popular networks, Google could become a less useful search engine, which is likely why these changes took place.

There has been much controversy over Google’s new features. Many people think Share Plus Your World will skew search results by not providing the most relevant information. Twitter commented on the revamp saying that the new feature would affect people’s ability to get the most relevant, breaking news (which is often from Twitter). Several other online reporters have stated they will no longer use the search engine and there has even been a request to the FTC to look into the new features for possible antitrust violations.

Perhaps the biggest concern with Share Plus Your World is privacy. Since Google will now be promoting Plus profiles as top search results, personal information for people and pages related to a search topic could be revealed. While you will only see Share Plus Your World results if you have it turned on, many people don’t always realize how many people can see their posts via social networking and older or forgotten posts could come back to haunt them.

Along with personal privacy concerns, people in charge of sensitive data could potentially face additional problems. The more integrated social networks and searching become, the easier it is for hacking attempts to gather specific information about an individual. While Google won’t be making any of this sensitive information public, it will make it a lot easier for hackers to find.

While Share Plus Your World will open up a whole new avenue in Google searches, there is definitely a concern with the information revealed and who might have access to that information. Now more than ever, it’s important to be mindful of what you share online and keep sensitive data protected.

What do you think about Google’s new features? Do you like the personal results or are you concerned with your privacy? Let us know in the comments.

Business Cards-Small Offline Marketing that Still Packs a Punch

The boom of SEO and social media has naturally made companies shift their marketing efforts to an online medium. With the majority of professionals searching for businesses online, SEO is critical if you want to be found and social media provides a personality to your place of employment.

Both marketing methods are necessary for success, but despite being in an online world, it’s wise to invest in offline marketing techniques that are equally as important.

While social networking has reduced the need for networking face to face, the number of public events, conferences and gatherings are on the rise.  People are looking to connect and share ideas with the folks they may only know from Twitter or Facebook.  New conferences, Tweet-ups and events appear to be increasing every week!

Business cards are fundamental in making a good first impression.  Although the information we put on our cards has adapted over the years, they are still just as effective as they were in the past.  Below are some tips to ensure yours stand out.

Show off your personality

Your online presence shows off your personality.  Your business card should do the same.  Chances are several people at the events you attend may already “know” you without ever having met face to face. They follow you on Twitter, read your blog, or like your Facebook page.  They have an expectation of who you are without the formal introduction.  A mediocre business card will not reflect the person they already know online, so give your card the same personality that you exhibit there.

Add social media links or a QR code

Many individuals may already know you, but keep in mind that you’ll be handing out your card to plenty of people that don’t.  Include links to the social media sites you frequent or consider adding a QR code that links to your website.  Email addresses and phone numbers are still essential, but don’t forget to offer alternative options as a means of connecting with you.

 Resist clutter

A cluttered business card is unattractive and can send the wrong message, so only add what you feel is requisite.  Avoid adding links to every site you associate with and consider only those that you use frequently.  Don’t be hesitant to use both sides of the card.

Don’t go cheap

There are volumes of online options to obtain free business cards, however be mindful that you get what you pay for.  Most of those complimentary sites require you to share real estate with the printing company and print on paper that is not nearly as attractive as what you’d get if you invested a little money.  Remember, your card is a first impression, so don’t skimp.

Business cards continue to be vital to marketing efforts, even in a world where the majority of them take place online.  Your card should provide different avenues to reach you and flaunt your personality so you can network with confidence.

How have your business cards evolved over the years?  What links do you include on your cards? Let us know in the comments.