Why Is LinkedIn So Important?

Simply put – it hosts over 673 million profiles with around 260 million monthly active users across 200 countries

What this equates to is a massive supply of network connections and job opportunities

It is known the world over as THE professional social networking site

If you’re not on LinkedIn, you’re not serious about your career and professional life - plain and simple

I’m sure there are those who will disagree with me, but most people who hire will go check you out on LinkedIn

I know I checked out every applicant on LinkedIn when I was hiring for some of the biggest ICT and Corporate programs of work in Australia’s top tier companies

Your profile on LinkedIn represents more than a dossier of your skills, experience or companies you’ve worked at

It is or should be the brand of who you are, what you stand for and what value you offer

The top three reasons you want to create a top-notch LinkedIn profile are:

Sharing the brand of you – Here’s where you demonstrate how you stand out from others, why you might be worth six figures or why you’re a leader in your industry and community. When you write a powerful summary which showcases your personality and focuses on your strengths you allow others to see you and what you bring to the table

Being front of mind for hiring managers – Recruiters and hiring managers spend a lot of time on LinkedIn looking for good candidates to fill vacant roles. It is the number one head-hunter resource. If you have a memorable LinkedIn profile alongside a professional looking photo you’re more likely to have someone reach out to you asking about your availability in the job market.

Ranking better on Google – Most employers will Google your name when they first see your resume. Let’s face it, few of us like to be surprised so when we hear a name we don’t know, the first thing we do is look that name up online. LinkedIn is a well-known and powerful network so it’s typically easier to get your LinkedIn profile to rank on Google than your own home page, if you have one.

If you want to be seen by the right people so you can explore the BEST opportunities, then it will come down to a lot more than ranking well

It’s no use ranking well and being seen if you’re not seen in the right light.

Taking the time and effort and if need be investing money into getting your LinkedIn profile in top shape could be worth its weight in six figure salaries if you’re seen by the right people in the right way

LinkedIn is your global business card and like any other business cards you need to make it memorable

And a reminder: with most of the corporate world working some of the time remotely LinkedIn is even more important to your career succes