Why Linkedin?

Meet Michelle, our newest columnist for DaytonMostMetro.com.  Michelle is a recent graduate from The Ohio State University.  She is the social media marketer for a technology company based in Dayton.  In addition to her marketing role, she lends her free time to being the web development lead for upDayton’s Internship Committee, being a co-host of New Media Dayton’s weekly tweetchat (#NMDChat), and helping run her family’s local nail salon. Her passion for good food and high fashion are prominent themes in her personal blog at michellenton.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @michellenton.

I am the product of the digital age.  I live, eat, and breathe technology.  To “Facebook ” someone is as common as calling them on the phone, or texting.  I carry a smartphone around with me, but because that’s not enough, I have an iPod Touch and an iPad most of the time as well.  My job allows me to be at the cutting edge of technology, so I almost always have the latest gadget and I always know what the hot new social networking trend is.

I recently led a Twitter chat for New Media Dayton on all things LinkedIn <www.linkedin.com>.  In the hour long discussion (held every Thursday 10-11am EST), there were two common themes for why people use LinkedIn:  1) connecting professionally and 2) show your professional skills in a way that can’t be done with a paper resume.

LinkedIn is what I would call my digital Rolodex.  It allows me to be connected publicly to the people whom I’ve worked with and those that I’ve met through professional networking events.  Employers or potential new business prospects can see how they may know me through the mutual network connections.  In today’s world, nothing is more important than having a solid base of connections.  It really is about “who” you know, more than “what” you know.

With an online resume, I am able to make myself a searchable “item.”  By using industry keywords in my LinkedIn profile allows me to stand out against others in my space.  I have the opportunity to highlight my strengths and even get recommendations from people who can vouch for those strengths.  Potential employers can view this information and get to know me on a level that a paper resume can’t offer.

While I tend to be very forward thinking in the social realm, many tech saavy young adults don’t understand why they need to be on this network – but why should they? Because more recent college graduates than ever are living with shiny new diploma, thousands of dollars in loans, and no jobs to pay for it.  LinkedIn is the new way of job searching and you really can’t do without it in the Web2.0 world.