Social networking to further your career

I am currently working on getting a full time position with a wonderful company in Nashville (wonderful company to be determined). Since I don't know heaps of people in Nashville, I decided to take it upon myself to start networking.

I was listening to the Six Pixels of Separation podcast recently and Mitch Joel referred to a site called LinkedIn.com. I checked it out and the site's introduction reads:

LinkedIn is an online network of more than 9 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 130 industries.

When you join, you create a profile that summarizes your professional accomplishments. Your profile helps you find and be found by former colleagues, clients, and partners. You can add more connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you.

Your network consists of your connections, your connections’ connections, and the people they know, linking you to thousands of qualified professionals.

Through your network you can:

• Find potential clients, service providers, subject experts, and partners who come recommended
• Be found for business opportunities
• Search for great jobs
• Discover inside connections that can help you land jobs and close deals
• Post and distribute job listings
• Find high-quality passive candidates
• Get introduced to other professionals through the people you know

LinkedIn is free to join. We also offer paid accounts that give you more tools for finding and reaching the right people, whether or not they are in your network.

LinkedIn rules. I signed up and invited loads of my contacts right away. If you are considering a new position, looking for employment, looking to employ, or simply trying to increase your network of contacts I really recommend you give it a try.

Feel free to add me to your contacts by clicking my LinkedIn logo on the right under my profile. Good luck.
D