Thanks to @BillBoorman  for contributing this post:

Most recruiters know the value of a Linked In profile. Hardly a day goes by without reference to just why you should have a 100% linkedin-add-bloglink profile. For me, the real benefit of LinkedIn is that it is so much more than a directory  or a job board. To me, LinkedIn is a social media channel in which you should be doing much more than just connecting or posting jobs.

Here are my top 4 tips to get the most out of Linked In:

1: Join all the groups you can (up to 50.) You can find the most relevant groups by checking the profiles of the people you want to connect with. Join the same groups and it is easier to connect. You can also search and export group members or invite to your events.

Post content over jobs within the groups.

2: Set up RSS feeds for questions in your target area. This way you can monitor, filter and answer questions. This helps you to both connect and gain recognition as a subject expert. Pose your own questions once a week. The answers make for great blog posts or content for the groups you belong to.

 3: Add extra material to your profile with the following applications:

Slideshare – You can add up to 5 presentations and links to more. You can now embed video in to your opening slide, bringing life and differentiation to your profile. You can embed video direct from You Tube.

Make sales documents, a resume, job profiles and other relevant downloads available and visible via the box.net application. You can request e-mail address to download and grant permissions. Great way to start engaging.

4: If you have a blog, use the WordPress or Blogger plug in to show your last posts. Linked In is my second biggest referrer to my blog.

Post blog entries and any video in You Tube to the “News” entry in the groups you belong to. These come out top in the e-mail notifications that go out to members. (If the group administrator will allow this you can do it by adding an R.S.S. Feed.

Monitor the events for relevant events. You can register as interested and start connecting with others even if you are not attending.

If you are attending, send out invites to connections you would like to meet up with.

Final big point set a target to ring a number of your connections every day to introduce yourself and ask how you can help. Use linked in as the tool to unlock the introduction.

There you have it. Follow some of these steps to get the most out of what is a social channel, not a job board or a directory.

Be an ambassador in your network,

Bill

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By Noel Cocca

CEO/Founder RecruitingDaily and avid skier, coach and avid father of two trying to keep up with my altruistic wife. Producing at the sweet spot talent acquisition to create great content for the living breathing human beings in recruiting and hiring. I try to ease the biggest to smallest problems from start-ups to enterprise. Founder of RecruitingDaily and our merry band of rabble-rousers.