The New Face of Business

Like Facebook, LinkedIn is a social networking site, but for the business realm. It's a place where you can build your professional identity online and stay in touch with colleagues and classmates. You'll be able to power your career by discovering professional opportunities, business deals, and new ventures. Finally, you'll learn and share by getting the latest news, inspiration, and insights you need to be great at what you do.

LinkedIn was founded in December 2002 and was launched May 3, 2003 and as stated before it is used mostly for professional networking. As of June 2013, LinkedIn reports more than 225 million acquired users in more than 200 countries and territories. One purpose of the site is to allow registered users to maintain a list of contact details of people with whom they have some level of relationship, called Connections. Users can invite anyone (whether a site user or not) to become a connection. However, if the invitee selects "I don't know" or "Spam", this counts against the inviter. If the inviter gets too many of such responses, the account may be restricted or closed.

This list of connections can then be used in a number of ways:

• A contact network is built up consisting of their direct connections, the connections of each of their connections (termed second-degree connections) and also the connections of second-degree connections (termed third-degree connections). This can be used to gain an introduction to someone a person wishes to know through a mutual contact.
• Users can not upload their resume any more. This was a feature but became redundant in late 2012.
• It can then be used to find jobs, people and business opportunities recommended by someone in one's contact network.
• Employers can list jobs and search for potential candidates.
• Job seekers can review the profile of hiring managers and discover which of their existing contacts can introduce them.
• Users can post their own photos and view photos of others to aid in identification.
• Users can now follow different companies and can get notification about the new joining and offers available.
• Users can save (i.e. bookmark) jobs that they would like to apply for.

LinkedIn has been described by online trade publication TechRepublic as having "become the de facto tool for professional networking." LinkedIn has also been praised for its usefulness in fostering business relationships. "LinkedIn is, far and away, the most advantageous social networking tool available to job seekers and business professionals today," according to Forbes.

Are you a LinkedIn user? If so how do you use it and do you like it? If you don't like it, why not? If you don't have an account and would like to set one up, click on the image below.