LinkedIn is the biggest social network for businesses and working professionals. Currently, it has over 500 million members in more than 200 countries, and its reach is only growing.
That is why, as a professional having a well-maintained profile on the platform will enable you to create a brand for yourself, which in turn may turn into new opportunities for work and career development.
LinkedIn gives you a way to showcase your opinions, expertise, and recommendations while letting you expand your network and create new connections. This makes your profile valueable, not only to potential future employees but also to customers, as it’s a place where you can establish yourself as an industry expert while subtly highlighting your achievements.
That being said, many people continue to doubt the value of LinkedIn and believe that it has little to no benefits for their careers. But, in this article, we will prove them wrong by pointing out three benefits that make having a LinkedIn profile a must.
LinkedIn Benefits: What You Can Gain from Joining the Platform
You can probably figure out the most trivial ways in which having a LinkedIn profile is beneficial, like having access to job postings and being more visible to recruiters. That’s why we won’t be discussing any of those obvious reasons, and instead, we will take a look at some LinkedIn benefits that you’ve probably never considered.
Build Your Brand
Much like companies build their brands, employees can also do the same. One of the best networks to build your professional brand on is LinkedIn. Consider what makes you stand out from the rest of your colleagues? What is it that you do that separates you from everyone else? Why should someone choose you instead of another professional?
Having a well-thought-out LinkedIn profile is a great way to showcase your expertise, express your opinions and establish your name on the professional map. Along with that, uploading a professional-looking profile picture and writing a strong summary that points out your achievements and strengths is a terrific way to present yourself in front of employers and customers. That way, the next time someone opens your profile, they will immediately know that you’re a person who’s dedicated to their craft, passionate about their work, and curious to learn more in the future.
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Helps You Build a Professional Network
The importance of having a broad professional network is often neglected. Yes, people do talk about how key it is, but no one really discusses the different ways you can build it. Well, one of the core reasons why LinkedIn exists is to connect working professionals and help them establish fruitful relationships.
The great thing about LinkedIn is that you can build a network, even if you’re more introverted and you don’t particularly enjoy being out at conferences and talking to people in real life. Thanks to the platform, you can exchange opinions and ideas with people from all over the world without having to move even a single step outside your comfort zone. What’s even cooler is that you can establish connections with professionals who live on the other side of the planet and whom you would have probably never met in real life.
Enables You to Research Companies and Employees
On LinkedIn, you can become a bit of a detective if need be. For example, if you have a vacant position on your team that needs to get filled, you can start looking for potential candidates on the platform. Thanks to it, you can see their entire work history, how their colleagues and managers regard them, and their educational background. And all that information can be highly valuable, especially if you’re looking for a critical member of the team.
On the other hand, if you’re considering changing your job and going to another company, you can also research it on LinkedIn. You can see what previous employees think about the organization and how it treats its current workers on the platform. Along with that, you have access to the company’s profile on LinkedIn, and you can see their posts regarding up-and-coming industry trends, CSR work, and more. By knowing all of this information, you can make an informed decision about your next workplace instead of just diving in and hope for the best.
In Conclusion
When it comes to LinkedIn benefits, perhaps the biggest one is that the platform gives you a chance to build your group of “work-related” friends and acquaintances. People who either work in your industry or in one connected to it can share valueable insights on upcoming changes, developments, and ideas. That way, you can continue to broaden your perspective and knowledge while connecting with other professionals who share the same passions and interests.
Having a broad network of like-minded individuals shouldn’t be underestimated. Knowing that you have acquaintances in any number of different industries can help you quickly find a new job get urgent advice or a sound recommendation if you need it. Remember, as a professional, being resourceful is an unmatched skill in the 21st century. Networking is one of the best ways to become that kind of an employee, as you will always have someone to rely on.