It’s not enough to simply have a LinkedIn account. Are you getting the most out of it? Are you using it proactively for your jobs search? At a minimum you should have a complete profile and constantly be adding contacts as you meet new people that could be helpful in your job search. Here is a quick glance at some helpful LinkedIn features:

1) LinkedIn Groups- LinkedIn has thousands of networking groups. Start by adding industry specific groups and alumni organizations. The benefit of joining a group is that you can follow discussions from that group as well as message people within the group (even if they are not a contact).

2) LinkedIn Company Research- LinkedIn allows you to search by company. This will list all of your contacts that currently work at that company, have previously worked at that company and friends of friends connected to companies. One interesting feature is the ability to see where most people work that have worked at that particular company. This will allow you to expand your job search as you find related companies in the industry.

3) LinkedIn Answers- This question-answer section is a great place to meet people and build your expertise. Start by answering questions about topics you know a lot about or posting a question to start a discussion. Follow topics of interest.

4) LinkedIn Recommendations- Recommendations show up on your profile and are linked directly to the person providing the recommendation. As you receive recommendations you can choose whether or not to make them visible on your profile. The best way to get recommendations from people is by giving recommendations to others. Make a plan to give several recommendations each week.