Chapter 3 discusses the importance and abilities of LinkedIn. The chapter begins with an introduction to what LinkedIn is and how it is relatable to the real world. It then goes on to explain how the social media platform works. This involves the author explaining the need for a personal and completed profile.
The site is comparable to a networking event that can be accessed at all hours of every day. McDonald explains having a completed personal profile is comparable to a public resume. He includes the importance of using keywords to better help companies and other personal profiles understand what represents who you are and what you are capable of doing. This is helpful when a LinkedIn user wants to search for specific words to find a profile that best suits their needs. It is also helpful for you to change your profile URL to something short and easy to remember. This is what will be seen by those that do a Google search for you.
McDonald shares that LinkedIn can also be used to help spread the awareness of another person. When wanting to share information about an employee, treat their LinkedIn profile like their business card.
I think that it is interesting that the author states that the platform “mirrors the ‘real world’ of an industry conference or trade show.” LinkedIn may be the closest social media we have to real life interactions and displays, but we still have a sense of “fakeness” when dealing with professional situations on and off LinkedIn. We have to learn new rules and etiquettes when developing our professional personality. This personality is different from our average, everyday personality. So, I believe McDonald is correct when he says that Linked in as close to our professional personality as a social media platform can get. That does not mean LinkedIn is an actual reflection of the person we are, but simply a small, practiced part.
Another interesting point taught by McDonald is about LinkedIn being a team sport. One day I will join LinkedIn, apply every tip I have learned about the platform and stop being surprised by its extensive abilities, but today is not that day. Until here recently, I thought LinkedIn was solely used by individuals to grow their professional networks. I had no clue companies used the platform to promote themselves. It makes sense for companies to be involved, though. McDonald points out the more employees a company has involved with their business page, the more successful the company will be on LinkedIn.
