are you in?

i consider myself a networker by trade. my current role in employer outreach for the au career center leaves me solely responsible for building relationships with employers on behalf of cas, sis, soc, and spa. a lot of what i do stems from who i know, who i meet, and who they know. i live and die by linkedin on a daily basis using it to expand my network, get introduced to new connections, and exploit existing contacts. i also use it to identify alumni currently working within the university's "wish list" of employers and in turn use those alumni to build new relationships.

even someone like me still has a lot to learn about this professional yet social network. to do so, i've participated in several webinars hosted by lyndsay pollak, a gen y career expert, who is currently consulting for linkedin. while the mashable article is a good place to start, i found it a bit out of date and linkedin has made dozens of improvements over the last year to propel your networking capabilities even further. if you're a linkedin newbie or looking to learn more, here are a couple of other articles and resources to check out:

- 5 steps to a fantastic linkedin profile
- linkedin adds new ways to browse connections
- the linkedin blog

i've also jotted out a few helpful tips for the linkedinners looking for a job:

- complete your profile! and be sure to include recommendations. internship supervisors and professors are usually very willing to do this, as are classmates. if you rocked a group project with someone and they can vouch for your teamwork skills, ask them to recommend you.
- visit company profiles and view the most popular profiles. these are often human resources professionals with public email addresses and offer a great "foot in the door."
- use it or lose it. i make it a point to add a linkedin connection to my network at least once per week. i add classmates, professors, professional connections, friends, acquaintances. today's job searcher should not underestimate the power of the social network and should cast a wide net.
- feel free to connect with me! linkedin is a numbers game and i've got over 360 connections. one of them might be your next employer.