Although the more popular Facebook is now attracting more business and professional users, advocates of LinkedIn claim it is easier to “find and be found” there due to the way LinkedIn organizes it’s members Profile Pages.
LinkedIn: Why Should I Join?
If you’ve explored the world of Social Networking at all you know there can be a good deal of “clutter and noise” on social sites with all inclusive purposes. LinkedIn has a more targeted focus: the business and professional world. If you’re looking for a job or a business or professional opportunity, LinkedIn contact networks can put you in touch with people you would rarely find with traditional job opportunity search approaches. If you are looking for a candidate, LinkedIn can expose you to a huge pool of pre-qualified individuals in an instant. But LinkedIn is much more than a recruiting and placement site. Any business or professional need you can think of can be addressed on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn: The Power of Connections
Have you heard this maxim before — “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”? When you boil it all down, that’s where the power of LinkedIn lies: the connections. In essence, LinkedIn has “digitized” the old fashioned method of “word of mouth referral.” Twenty years ago a business owner looking for investment capital might talk to his or her contacts to find potential sources. In essence this is tapping indirect connections — contacts of contacts — for help. You may know your professional neighbors, but do you know all the people they know? LinkedIn taps into these second and even third and fourth degree connections in a manner never before possible.
LinkedIn: Getting Started
You can spend a lot of time searching the net for articles on how to get started on LinkedIn, How to get the Most out of LinkedIn, and Advantages and Disadvantage of LinkedIn. Or perhaps you could take a cue from the old Nike advertising campaign and “Just Do It!” Go to LinkedIn.com, sign up, and get going. Simple. Like most Social Networking sites they have software to help you build your Profile Page and then start developing your contact network. The software will organize the information you enter into Profile Headlines, like Education, Company, and Summary. Many cite these more focused Profile Headings as the reason the process of “finding and being found” is more efficient on LinkedIn than on other Social Networking sites.
With LinkedIn your second degree connections are built by invitation only, so you end up with a network of contacts you can trust. All of them may have been referred by someone you know through someone they know. This is a major privacy advantage over other Social Networking sites. Of course, you have the option of accepting invitations from anyone if you choose. Check out LinkedIn Groups — there are over 300,000 of them — and join a few. Read through some Discussion and News Boards. Click on the “Answers” Button on your LinkedIn Homepage to get an idea of the breath and depth of issues for which LinkedIn users are seeking help. Think of LinkedIn not just as a recruiting site but as a business benefit site, offering help to businesses in more ways than you can imagine. Try it, you’ll like it!!
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For the business casual category
What is Business Casual?
Ask ten different people and everyone would have a different interpretation on what it is, and what can be worn. This has lead to dress down confusion and frequently inappropriate office attire. The key word is “business”. Business casual is not casual dress, but a more casual way of business dressing versus business formal. Problems arise when business casual in the workplace gets too casual. It is not weekend casual, sporting event casual, gym wear such as jogging suits, night club attire, or beach wear. Business Casual means dressing in a professional more relaxed way, yet still looking neat and pulled together.
Whether business casual is designated to Friday or everyday, clarity should be provided in a business casual dress policy. The policy should provide specific guidelines to the employees. Employees who call on clients should be asked to keep a change of clothing in case they have to go outside the office to see a client.
Guidelines:
Clothing should be pressed, clean, and not show signs of wear.
No offensive clothing that has words or pictures that could offend others.
No clothing that reveals too much cleavage, your back, chest, stomach or your underwear.
Clothing shouldn’t be too tight or too baggy.
If jeans are allowed they should be dress jeans in a dark denim.
Avoid trendy.
Guidelines For Women:
Casual pressed pants, tailored pants or dressy capris. Avoid shorts and leggings.
Skirts. Avoid too short, floor length and high slits.
Tops: Collared shirts, conservative sweaters, cardigans and sweater sets.
Casual dresses. Avoid party dresses, floor length dresses, and sundresses.
Hosiery is not essential in the summer for business casual.
Shoes: Can be opened toed or a dressy sandal for the summer. Avoid thongs, flip flops or beach like sandals. In the winter a closed toe shoe or conservative boot.
Jewelry: Avoid extremes.
Guidelines For Men:
A sports jacket
Collared Shirt, polo shirts, knit shirts with collars
Ties are not necessary
Dress sweaters such as a turtleneck or crewneck
Tailored pants, Khakis
Socks
Shoes can be more casual such as a loafer. Avoid sandals, flip flops, athletic shoes and hiking boots.
One last word of advice, think business before casual.
Men, when it comes to dressing for work you’ve had it easy until recently Men’s clothing has evolved over the years to a look that fits men’s body types and activities, and makes most men look great.
Most men look good in a suit, and the traditional colors for business, such as a navy or grey suit with a white or blue shirt, compliment most men’s skin, hair and eye colors.
Then along came business casual and a new generation of men in the workplace, and the old rules no longer apply. Putting together all the elements isn’t as easy as coordinating a suit. It’s more difficult to dress in casual mode and look good.
1. Every industry has a dress code. Do you work in a conservative industry, such as finance or insurance? You most likely need to wear a suit when meeting clients, and dress down only on casual Fridays.
On the other hand, if you work in creative industries, such as advertising or design companies, it’s fine to have a bit of an edge. But you have to tailor your looks to a work environment, and choose clothes that suit your body type, coloring and personality.
And if you work in a high-tech, such as a software design company, the look is very casual. But you still have to look neat and clean. Grungy is not a business casual look!
2. Look at the people above you, and your clients. What are they wearing? If your boss or manager wears a suit most days, despite the casual dress code, you should probably do the same. Remember that you should be dressing for the job you aspire to, not the job you have now.
How do your clients dress? Dress to make them feel comfortable. If they are dressed very casually, you can match them, but be sure to be clean and neat. Sloppy and grungy are not business casual looks!
3. When in doubt, dress up. A common rule for business is to dress in traditional business attire for important meetings with outside business people. They still expect to see a business suit or jacket when a business deal is closed. Wearing a suit to meet a new client, or for a job interview, shows respect. Wear traditional business clothing when conducting business overseas.
If you are staying in the office, you can wear a sweater and casual pants. But jeans are only allowed in the most relaxed environments. Check with your human resources department if you aren’t sure what’s allowed.
Putting together a polished, professional business wardrobe takes time and thought.