So linkedin is basicall a business social networking site. A professional facebook.

I have made one and i have 12 connections (friends), and it seems like a good site that a lot of employers use to look up possible future employees at their company.

You basically create a profile and focus on professional related things, putting your work experience and education.

Then you can follow companies and other users to keep updated on what is going on in the professional world and see upcoming events and related articles.

I like this site and i want to improve my profile and use it to help me find/get a good job related to my field but i feel like an employer wouldnt really take me serious if they saw my profile because i have only had a few minimum wage jobs and im not yet done with college. I would recommend this site to everyone because it can really show you a different view of where you stand from the employers viewpoint, and gives you tips on what to do to improve to get a better career in the future.

just something i wanted to share and discuss with others interested or already using linkedin.

I thought Linkedin is well known.
I have 100+ contacts (business, no friends) and that is not much for an average Linkedin user.

How old are you?
I am 20 and almost none of my friends have a linkedin account.

im not trying to find a new way to connect with friend i am also trying to connect in a business manner to other people.

any tips for beefing up my profile? it doesnt look to good right now but im not sure what else to do because i dont have much work experience or a degree yet.
or do i just need to wait untill im a little older, have a degree, and hopefully a real job.

I know quite a number of people with a LinkedIn account. I used to but decided against it with their privacy policies changing, and falling back on a very decent record of job offers to job interviews.

This is, otoh, probably the best digital way to find a job. For example, going to a job fair in a tech hub (Silicon Valley being one), or meeting up with job recruiters will net you at least 2-5 contacts per. Making friends at jobs you've worked, and deciding to extensively network with them, can also produce more.

Where it really looks good for a job is having an arsenal of references. If you have talents a business can use, without a doubt, you will get offers. In some geographical areas, having a LinkedIn account can mean the difference between wasting months and months sending in random resumes to paper/internet ads, and having a handful of interviews a week thanks to reliable connections.

It's not for everyone, but it has it's positives.

I have a LinkedIn account which I use very regularly with business contacts. I'm particularly selective about who I put on it though - some agency staff I've had contact with have tried to add me but would rather keep it 'client only'. It's really helped our company find temps, small business contacts and general advice.

I expect most people in middle management or above have a LinkedIn account...

They want to push it through here that if you're unemployed, and don't have a LinkedIn account, then they'll cut your unemployment - welfare monies.

Which I think is wrong, btw.

When I started at my new job earlier this year my new boss was very suspicious of me. She had tried to look me up on Linkedin and couldn't find me. At one point she made a comment about spending some time in my office to go over what my areas of responsibility are, but she phrased it "I don't know what it is that you do all day!" I had to prove myself the old fashioned way, through my words and deeds. It was just a few weeks ago I found out about Linkedin because my boss asked me why I wasn't on it. I'm still not on it but I'm considering it.

I still can't understand why companies employ managers who have no idea what their staff are doing and rely on looking things up (Google, LinkedIn, timesheets etc) instead of just talking to people. Usually the same ones who say "my door is always open".

I don't have a LinkedIn profile, because I lack the experience and contacts to make it worthwhile. Besides, if I created one my boss would assume I'm angling for a new job

I have enough trouble trying to cover my tracks online, how much more with linked in and Facebook invites.

I know about it but don't use it. Don't see much need for it. Most of my business contacts are in the forest industry and they still prefer to use phones.

One of my instructors recommended that our class start using it but I have not even looked into it. I don't really like the idea of social networking sites, I would rather keep my contacts more personal and contact them via phone rather than postings via an internet site.

Facebook is for people you used to know

LinkedIn is for people you know

And Twitter is for people you want to know

:P

I'm only on Twitter of those three. Do plan on getting a LinkedIn profile, but right now I'm in the same boat as th3undon3on3 more or less.

Im in the same boat, except I have one and don't use. I have a lot of pending connections from friends and random designers that probably searched for the word "designer" on Linkedin and got a little crazy with the invite button.

I feel like the people that I need to interact with on a professional or social level will get a hold of me or recommend me through much more private channels (text, email, phone)

I have an account. In the industry I work in it is quite common to use it. I can't see thatI am really active, but I have quite a lot of contacts (well over 100), Friends of mine (who work freelance) use it a lot and seem to get a lot of references and work through LinkedIn

I never heard of this linkedin until I saw this thread.