<p>I am thinking about using LinkedIn to meet and talk to professionals in the financial service field...but it seems that everyone is asking you to be "LinkedIn" and that's it. </p>
<p>I am not getting any results using that site.</p>
<p>Use messaging. LinkedIn is a means to networking.</p>
<p>If you have a decent resume and a complete LinkedIn profile with a good array of connections, you may pop up on the radar of recruiters. Plenty of people are discovered by recruiters who just find LinkedIn profiles. I’d say LinkedIn is geared more at working professionals than college students.</p>
<p>College students usually have career services departments that provide excellent networking/guidance opportunities. LinkedIn can sort of fill that hole once you graduate. LinkedIn is pretty much useless for people in high school.</p>
<p>I’ve really enjoyed it. The more contacts you have, the more useful it is. You can see what alumni from your college hold positions you’re looking for and at companies you’re interested in. You can even find people at graduate schools you’re interested in from your college and see what they’re stats are, even contact them.</p>
<p>Some of the groups are good for networking and I’ve had good success contacting with 2nd-level connects with requests for advice/information.</p>
<p>i think it is more geared towards working professionals. Recruiters use linkedin to target professionals with certain experiences that they are looking for. </p>
<p>However, college students should def get a profile and make connections with their fellow students. Those connections will come in handy when you decide to switch jobs a few years after graduation as well as just keep track of what your cohort is up to. So good idea to start now…but it probably won’t pay off right away. </p>
<p>You should target quality as opposed to quantity when you are making connections. My rule is that if I have not met them and talked to them, i don’t add them. That’s my strategy anyways…</p>
<p>it is geared towards professionals… that said, absolutely you should create a profile. As Whatdidyou mentioned, the people who are your college friends today might be able to provide you an “in” to wherever they are working in a couple years.</p>
<p>Yeah it’s pretty good for getting into the business world. A few recruiters for high quality companies have contacted me using LinkedIn. Certainly no harm in setting one up! Add a bunch of people/friends in your field and make your profile attractive.</p>