LinkedIn was founded in 2002 and launched in 2003 in California. The purpose of the company is to create a professional, networking environment for employers and job seekers. Linkedin is the top online site for professional, social and career networking. And, the best part, you don’t have to leave your office!.[1]

LinkedIn is a social media platform geared to professionals. It enables you to network and to build your professional portfolio, but you can also go out into the world and look for a new job. Professionals who’ve been in business for decades use LinkedIn, and so do newly minted college grads. “Look at the top of the LinkedIn home page; it’s for posting! It’s not for posting your resume, it’s not for looking up people. I’m just going for it on LinkedIn. I’m posting all sorts of stuff. LinkedIn is a social media platform.”[2]


Jenna Arcand from “Work It Daily,” says that “LinkedIn is the modern-day yellow pages. In addition to professional networking, there is room for advertising. Not all advertising is “bad” or “annoying.” LinkedIn does provide advertising, which can be very helpful and thought-inspiring. LinkedIn is changing from a social networking platform to a social marketplace. This social marketplace has 660 million people.[3]

So, how does Linkedin work?  Members create an account, which will list their name and contact info (as much as they wish to share), and a description of themselves. The idea is to captivate the reader, short and to the point. Always ask yourself, “What will make the reader want to read more?” From there, list your experiences, education, volunteer experience, skills and endorsements, recommendations and accomplishments. It sounds like a lot, but it needs to be. Employers want to know if someone is worth their time to contact and seek the possibility of employment. Given the professional forum, it is imperative to be honest. If you start adding degrees that you don’t have, you are destroying your credibility. Less is more, but more is credible.

As an example, please take a look at my LinkedIn profile:[4]  Rev. Rob Thomas (LinkedIn).

HR staff from companies around the world look at the skills of workers and assess them. If your LinkedIn profile catches their eye, polish up your professional side and be prepared. The employer you are looking for may come to fruition at the click of a mouse. 

Looking for a job or looking to advertise in the marketplace, LinkedIn is the place for you!









[1] “How To Use Linkedin Effectively,” Doyle, A. Careers (March, 2020), thebalancecareers.com
[2] “LinkedIn: More That Just A Business Networking Program,” Kird Allen, (September, 2018), www.reshiftmedia.com
[3] Is LinkedIn Dying? What You Need To Know”: Arcand, J. Work It Daily (November, 2019) www.workitdaily.com
[4] “Rev. Rob Thomas,” Linkedin Profile, (April, 2020) Rev. Rob Thomas

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