How important is linkedin to getting a job?

LinkedIn is very important. I just attended a conference regarding technology in education. A Linkedin Representative FOR college students was conducting a workshop that I attended. In a nut shell, Linkedin is the largest , recruiter funded professional social media platform in the world. College students are connecting directly to recruiters. It was clear that students need to....add a clean and fresh profile picture, update regularly (at least one a week) stating you professional interest and knowledge in a subject, add a video that is real and a clear display of what you would bring to the field you are interested in. This medium is a huge addition to your connection to people who are searching for talent, and a way that you can display that talent! College students are still looking to the career center, and this is very important for the angle of internships and externships and companies that are actively seeking the college campus directly, but for a more global outreach with a glimpse of your personality, Linkedin is underutilized by college students and this needs to change. Get out there! Make a video! Share the books you are reading and the experiences you are having in your field!

The importance of LinkedIn varies by career choice. As a Software Engineer, I find it valuable to keep in touch with everyone that I have worked with. More so, there are a lot of technical recruiters that uses the platform to find potential candidates and I've had many leads and job offers that stems from those recruiters finding my profile.

To build on Carmen's post there are 2 things that LinkedIn will help you with. The first is developing a personal brand. When I interviewed someone for a position I always checked out their profile. I wanted to get a sense of who they were. Most employers today do. So LinkedIn is a way for you to showcase your skills for employers. The sedan is that networking is crucial to finding a job. You want to spend time meeting people and getting to know them. Only 20% of open positions are posted online. To get an opportunity to the other 80% you are going to want to get to know people at the companies you want to work at.

Linkedin is ok, mainly what Manar said above but I would only recommend to keep your profile updated and job experience. The rest, smoke and mirrors. I find it to be another version of FB, a lot of fluff, no substance. I mean, yes, good, interesting articles and info, but I use it to find work and without success. They push the premier option on you, don't do it. Just make a profile, look for work, keep it professional and clean. I find other sites far more informative and I look for work so linkedin is not really my number one option. Good luck.