By: S. David Ross, Associate Director
Recently, I logged into my LinkedIn account to see the latest updates and information and then something caught my eye. I noticed a blog post from a professional in my field that I am indirectly connected to through a group. It is very common to see links to news stories and updates while browsing on LinkedIn. Many people use the system for professional networking or assistance during their job or internship search. But the blog post I read reminded me that you can use LinkedIn to gain perspective on an industry or current issues within an industry from those currently working in the field.
This perspective and these insights shared by experienced professionals may be helpful as you consider if an industry or sector is the right fit. They may also be helpful as preparation for upcoming interviews – particularly as a basis for questions you may want to ask the interviewer at the end regarding current industry developments. So if you have the chance, read through some industry-related blog posts in LinkedIn and you may just find some powerful stories and valuable perspective.
LinkedIn is also helpful when it comes to boosting online visibility for your business. It’s another way wherein you can interact and reach possible prospect clients in the city, or even internationally. This is the perfect platform to show off your profile, what your business is all about, and what you can offer to them. Also, your business may grow through collaborating to local and bigger international market, and increase your connections, that means you gain access to experts in other areas. Your connections and satisfied customer could give you recommendations and endorse your business for quality service, and that’s what you called “social proof”. I would say LinkedIn is a great place to start making connections that can and will be favorable in growing your business relationships.