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Misperceptions about LinkedIn That May Keep You from Using It

By Cathy Francois
Contributor, Career Serviceslinkedin-mistakes-wordpress.jpg

According to LinkedIn, only about 50% of LinkedIn users are active. I have heard many excuses as to why people are not actively engaged – or using it at all – based on misperceptions about what LinkedIn is and how it will benefit them.

You believe it is intended for active job seekers. LinkedIn is a thriving online community of companies and professionals – a group that includes entrepreneurs, job seekers both active and passive, and students. Aside from discovering job opportunities, you can use LinkedIn to follow thought leaders and keep a pulse on industry trends. Its many public or private groups are a great networking tool. Can’t find one you fit into? Start your own.

You think your boss may think you are looking for a new job. Savvy employers know that may not necessarily be the case. Using LinkedIn may help you do your job better and can be used as a business development, marketing, and research tool. I recommend having a conversation with your employer about your ideas on how you can use LinkedIn at work. But if you are really concerned about sending the wrong message, simply turn off your profile broadcast notifications settings before making updates to your profile.

You are concerned that your private information will be exposed. In addition to being an online community, LinkedIn is also a search engine, so this is a legitimate concern. However, there are ways to limit your exposure online. LinkedIn users have both a public and a private profile. Your private profile consists of information that only your connections (people you have carefully vetted and accepted into your network) can see. Your public profile is what those outside of your connections will see as well as what may pop up if someone does a Google search for your name. This profile can be adjusted to show as much or as little information as you are comfortable sharing.

Now that I have dismantled your excuses, join the 50% club of LinkedIn active users using this great tool to build their professional brand.

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