I don't need LinkedIn because I already have a job ... THIS IS SO WRONG !!!

So you're looking for a job and want to look up a potential contact in LinkedIn. You find that either this individual has no LinkedIn profile or it's obvious that he or she is not fully engaged in LinkedIn because there are perhaps 1 or 2 connections and he/she is not a member of any groups.


Were you to speak to that individual, you might get a response of "I already have a job, so I don't need LinkedIn." This is just so wrong on so many different levels.


There is never a good reason not to be networking -- especially if you are presently gainfully employed. No matter your role in a company, you need to be networking and gain value from the storehouse of knowledge that can be found in LinkedIn.


Here are a few good ways to use LinkedIn if you are already working for an employer:

1. Who are some of your peers? Look up your competitors and find out who else that is in LinkedIn has a similar role to yours . To whom are they connected? To what groups do they belong. Here's a thing to keep in mind ... your industry might take a hit and you might all be be out there looking for a job one day. The peers that are already better connected than you will have a head start and you don't want your efforts to be stalled right out of the box.
2. How do LinkedIn Groups help? When we are working, most of us are employed in some sort of specialized field supported by a slew of trade publications, news sites, listserves, discussion groups, etc. This is especially true in the B2B world. LinkedIn Groups give you the opportunity to tap into all that knowledge and bring it to your desktop in a matter of seconds. Plus, you'll get expert commentary from practitioners about all that information. Isn't this more efficient than searching and slogging through all these sources individually? Use LinkedIn as your portal to all this great information, because it is part of my next point.
3. Add value and become your company's (or your customer's) Thought Leader. Peruse the news and discussions and share some of the more relevant items with your peers, your managers and your customers. This will position you as a highly valued resource and help you maintain positive visibility.
4. Keep up with what is going on in your industry. If you don't do it, someone else will.
5. Contribute to News and Discussions on LinkedIn Groups. There are two advantages to this. First, suppose that you are tasked with an assignment and you need some additional help. Pose a question to thousands or millions of professionals and you'll quickly get your answers. Some will be in the box and some will be out of the box. Use these suggestions to help you complete the assignment and you'll look like a hero. Second, feel free to share your knowledge with others. Every time that you're out there actively engaged in LinkedIn, your visibility rankings will benefit and that's a good thing.

To sum up, it's a cruel world out there and lifetime job security is about as prevalent today as a rotary dial telephone. Make it harder for your company to send the grim reaper your way by being the valued source of knowledge. If that still doesn't prevent your job from being cut, then cash in on your investment in networking and be the one that is out in front of the pack.