My LinkedIn Experience

In this day and age there are so many technological platforms which if utilised properly can benefit us immensely.  One of the platforms I have found as the most inder utilised especially amongst the younger generation is LinkedIn. 

LinkedIn is to the professional world what Facebook is to the social world. On Facebook one has a profile which they use to get others to know about themselves.  Although some people tend to create an altar-ego/ pseudo (false) persona on Facebook, generally- out of the abundance of the heart the fingers type.  

LinkedIn is a platform where you can place your profile for others to see. This is basically an online curriculum vitae (CV). Many people use the abbreviation CV without knowing that it is Latin for 'story of my life'. 

When you put up a profile on LinkedIn it provides the story of aspects of  your life i.e. youryour qualifications and where you obtained them, the work experience you have, skills you have accumulated, recommendations by different people (references), any publications etc.

I developed my LinkedIn profile in 2008 just as I was finishing my Honours degree.  I constantly would seek to link with other professionals within my field (development economics). At the onset of 2012 I connected with someone who later became my second employer. 

At the time we connected he immediately wanted to bring me on board but his package was less than I was getting at my first employer. He then took me on board as an associate consultant ie I could assist as and when required. 

In September/October after doing a 2 week project (which netted me the same as my monthly salary back then), I was flown up to Pretoria and put up in a BnB to present the findings to him. After I had done the presentation, he gave me a job offer on the spot.

There are many other aspects to the story which I have left out. After reading this my intention is for you to become aware of the powerful networking platform LinkedIn is.

I have had calls from recruitment agencies who had seen my profile on LinkedIn.

Hosea 4:6 says God's people perish for lack of knowledge.  Proverbs 4 says wisdom is the principal thing, in all your getting- get understanding. 

May this inspire you to utilise that which has been freely given to us. 

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