A professional networking website can do many things for a person who is looking to increase the number of contacts they have in their field, or gain more visibility in their field. It can also help those who are looking to recruit new employees, gather together a team for an upcoming project, or any other number of things.
If you belong to a social networking website, then you already know the many different ways in which you can use a professional/ social networking site. Knowing how they work is an important part of using them, so if you aren't already familiar with them, you'll want to spend some time getting acquainted with how to fill out your profile with personal information, pictures, any media you might want associated with you, etc.
Ultimately, it doesn't matter what kind of networking website that you are using, the information that you put out there can be called up to represent you at any given time. Filling your professional networking website profile out with only the most attractive and employable information won't mean much if you can just as easily be found on a social networking page where you detail your weekend activities in their less than dignified glory.
It is very common for employers to do a Google search on potential employees before hiring them. Don't be fooled into thinking that your profile is safe because you didn't put your full name on your social networking page. They can also search by your email address and, if it is attached to that profile, your employer will soon know about your weekend exploits with Sandra, that you don't wear any underpants, and anything else that you found funny or embarrassing enough to post on what you thought would remain private amongst your friends. The idea of privacy on the Internet is, ultimately, ridiculous, but far too many people think that they do have privacy on the Internet.
So, now that we know that you shouldn't post anything highly embarrassing on the Internet that you don't want potential employers to see, let's talk about what information you do want to be seen. Think of your profile on a professional networking site as a resume. One of the hardest things to do can be to advertise yourself well, so don't be afraid to ask others to take a look at your profile and give you feedback on what they think of your self-presentation.
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