Most professionals are looking at you on LinkedIn. It's a great social platform for networking and communicating your skills in a business-oriented way. Making sure that your LinkedIn profile shines above the rest is key if you want to stand out and get noticed by companies and other business people.

Have a rockin' profile.

Perfecting your profile and resume should be the first step of your LinkedIn process. You want to make the best first impression that you can by showcasing the most important content, skills, and projects so when people go to look for you online they have an idea of who you are and what you can do.
It's easy to take the set up process step-by-step, and LinkedIn really helps its users make sure that they completely fill in the necessary portions. Proof-read your profile over and over again, make it look seamless and consistent so you show up in relevant searches whether inside LinkedIn itself or through Google/Bing/Yahoo (learn how you can Google like a Pro here).

Join a group and be active.

Groups on LinkedIn are a great way to gain useful knowledge and resources related to your field. There are more than two million LinkedIn Groups available for you to join, so do it! LinkedIn says that "people who participate in conversation on Groups are five times more likely to get profile views from people outside their network--which could translate into more opportunities."

View people anonymously.

We're all curious human beings who have a desire to learn a little bit more about the people we interact with, but sometimes we just don't want that person to know we've been "creepin' on em." Linkedin's default settings notify users when someone looks at their profiles (I like this feature, but it's not for everyone).
All you have to do is go to your setting and make the switch. You can choose to be anonymous only partially, like your industry or title, or you can be totally anonymous. After you change your setting don't forget to click save, and then you're good to go!

Don't be shy.

This professional social network is all about reaching out to people and creating a conversation with other professionals in your industry. Networking is so important for your career, so don't hesitate to contact new people, businesses, or organizations--that's what this site is for. According to LinkedIn, a mention in the news, work anniversaries, and recent meetings are all opportune times to reach out!

Personalize your LinkedIn email requests.

When you're trying to connect with a fellow professional you are required to send them an email request (Bonus tip: want to bypass this step, then connect with them via search instead). LinkedIn has a default message that it puts in for you, but it's actually a better idea to try and personalize your notes. Mention how you know the person with whom you are trying to connect. Or, if you don't know them that well then this is the perfect time to tell them who you are and why you are trying to make a connection with them.
Some people suggest that it might even be a good idea to use this connection time to instantly share your contact information, or even set up a business meeting. Like I stated in my last point, LinkedIn is not a time to be shy--act professional but show your personality.

Add LinkedIn to your email signature.

Using LinkedIn like your resume means that every time you put a link to your page in your email you are essentially sharing that resume. Whether or not the person you are communicating with is interested in hiring you, you are still increasing exposure for yourself. My thoughts are that if you're already emailing this person than why not connect via a professional social network!

Use advanced searches.

Advanced searching makes your results, well, advanced. They are more in line with what you are really looking for, and they can get you to who you need quicker. A basic search may not yield the best results--so, consider upgrading your LinkedIn account in order to really hone in and find the exact person or job you are desiring.
This paid upgrade is totally worth it if you're really on the hunt. It gives you deeper filters and streamlines the process. You can look for specific groups, people based on their years of experience, or even companies of varying sizes.

One of the biggest things about LinkedIn is always keeping it up to date. So, dive into this platform head first and constantly keep up with it because, in the end, having those connections is worth it. If you want the upper leg in the professional world then perfecting your LinkedIn account is necessary.
If you liked this post be sure to check out others by me: The basics of switching from a PC to a Mac, A Beginner's Guide to Twitter, or 3 uses for your old flash drives.
Also, feel free to connect with ME on LinkedIn!

This blog post was written by Danyell on ittrainingtips.iu.edu, a blog written by UITS IT Training staff in order to inform readers of tips, tricks, and useful tools when combating different technology, software, and online devices. Check out IT Training Tips for a daily dose of knowledge that's quick and on the go.