November 21/28, 2016: Volume 31, Number 12
By Rebecca Vertucci
LinkedIn has turned into one of the world’s strongest networking tools. But in my years of working for LinkedIn, it seems many of the platform’s best features go unnoticed. Ultimately, I feel this is due to the overwhelming nature of LinkedIn. There is so much to do that it can be hard to know where to focus.
I am part of the “customer success team” at LinkedIn, and I am also a career coach with Vertucci Career Academy. Every day I help clients hire people while helping people find jobs.
Following are some of my favorite LinkedIn tools that many people don’t know about.
Pro Finder. For freelancers, this one is key. In a nutshell, Pro Finder—a new service—connects service-based providers with people who need services. (Search LinkedIn Help ProFinder.) How it works: You can bid jobs and get connected with people who are looking for your area of expertise. It’s a great lead generation tool operating in the background for you.
LinkedIn rolled out a soft launch of Pro Finder in late 2015, and it’s still in the process of being released to all members. Pro Finder is currently only available in the U.S and not yet in every city. However, if you do have access to it, be sure to check it out.
Veterans Tool. LinkedIn is committed to helping service members and veterans succeed in transitioning from their military role to working in the private sector. This particular tool is designed for networking among fellow veterans. Specifically, it’s designed to help connect members coming out of service with veterans who have already found civilian work.
In addition to helping fellow veterans get connected, LinkedIn also has a veterans landing page, which offers a free one-year subscription to a premium job seeker account and Lynda.com to any eligible military and veteran members.
Volunteer Marketplace. Have you ever found yourself wanting to volunteer your skills to local nonprofits but weren’t sure of where or how to start? LinkedIn has you covered. Nonprofits can now publicize skilled volunteer needs. Perhaps they need legal counsel or marketing assistance on a voluntary basis. Well now they can be matched with local legal or marketing professionals looking to volunteer their time and skills to worthy causes.
I often advise people looking to develop new skills to consider volunteering first. Nonprofit organizations can be a great place to help you build your experience or portfolio of projects.
LinkedIn for Students. Although this resource is designed for students, it has applications for anyone and everyone looking to learn more about LinkedIn. Want some great tips on creating your profile? Looking for advice on what to say when networking? Need some job search advice? Users can view videos, tip sheets and articles to find the answers.
When first starting out on LinkedIn, this is an excellent resource regardless of whether or not you’re a student. And when you are ready for advanced tips and tricks, always remember the Help Center has you covered.
The point of LinkedIn is to grow and nurture your network. Utilize these helpful resources to help you identify easy ways to do exactly that.
I hope you found some useful resources you might not have known about before.
Rebecca Vertucci is an expert on recruiting, hiring and all things LinkedIn. Her presentation, “Building Your Online Professional Brand,” is scheduled to take place at The International Surface Event on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Visit tisewest.com for more information. Vertucci may also be reached via e-mail at Rebecca@VertucciCareerAcademy.com. She offers free career consultations for all FlexJobs members.