If you are not already on LinkedIn stop reading and go immediately to sign up. For business people there is no better Social Media site for finding people, positions, or spreading the word about what your company does. If you've been using LinkedIn for awhile, you might not know there is "new stuff" you can do with it. Here are three great LinkedIn tips from Fast Company that you should check out.
1. Use "Signal" to discover relevant news and information
Log in to LinkedIn, and pull down the "News" menu to see a feature called Signal. This tool lets you monitor updates within your network. More important, you can filter information by industry, company, school or time posted, so you can look for specific information about the latest buzz in your industry in metro-Atlanta, or follow what's happening with a particular prospect company.
2. Export your connections
Go to "My Connections" to view a list of all your LinkedIn contacts. This address book is a really handy way to get email addresses and updated information, but most importantly you can export this list. At the bottom of the page click "Export Connections," which will put all this contact info in a format suitable for your address book (Micorsoft Outlook, Yahoo! Mail, etc.).
3. Create a resume
If you've already filled out your LinkedIn profile information, it's easy to use it to create a foundation for a resume. The Resume Builder will suck in your professional past and you can use any of the pre-built templates to make it look good. From an Executive style presentation to a more casual layout, this tool will take some of the pain out of the resume building process. You can export the resume, share it easily, and edit as you wish.
When you are ready to integrate social media with all your marketing communications Maggie Anderson Words That Work is a communications coach and marketing expert and provides simple, step-by-step programs for small business executives. We help you find effective communication strategies to develop your personal brand, stand out as a leader in your industry and attract more opportunities using social media strategies, speechwriting and presentations, white papers and other effective communication tools.
