If you haven't been on LinkedIn lately, you should really take a look at the new features on this professional social networking platform. (I'm posting about it here with links to some super posts over at CIO magazine.)

LinkedIn is a professional Facebook, with job listings, forums and user groups that can really help you find a job and connect to other professionals.

I'm requiring all the students in my career prep class to build their LinkedIn profiles, and link that to a Wordpress page that features their work. Their resumes also feature their LinkedIn name, so, with one click, an employer can see what kind of work these kids have produced. I'll let you know whether it works. But already, it's made them really think about how they look "on paper."

You start at LinkedIn by building your profile, then you search for contacts--people you've worked with in the past, other alumni from your college, anyone who might be in your network. Once your profile is built, you can search for groups of professionals in your field. You can have past employers post their recommentations for you.

Or you can search for jobs. Say you find a job that you're interested in. You can then search for the particular company profile and LinkedIn will tell you more about the company, and if anyone in your "network" knows anyone working there.

The nice thing about joining a group is that the postings can be sent to your mailbox. I've been finding internships for my students through the PR Interns group, for example.

There an etiquette to LinkedIn, and different people take different approaches to managing their networks.  You may not want to accept everyone's invitation, and you may want to be selective about who you allow into your network. As a college instructor, I don't accept students as my "friend" on Facebook or LinkedIn, although I often accept them after they've graduated. And I only do recommendations for students I've had in class and who've done well.

And some super-users are on LinkedIn as much as your kid is on Facebook.

Once you're on LinkedIn, try posting a Network Update related to your work, and link it to your Twitter feed. See what happens. Yesterday I posted an update about the FiftyShift now accepting ads for Etsy shops, and clicked the little box to also post it on Twitter. Within a few minutes, I heard from a former student (and now a fabulous digital creative director), who wants to help redesign the site. She'd read my tweet.

I know, I know, what a freaking world, right? Too much to keep track of, right? Don't be afraid, because this stuff is here to stay. By dipping your toes into it--or even diving in, you just may find your place in this new world. And it could actually be a better one than you're in now. You just never know.

Thanks to CIO magazine for these links.

Got a LinkedIn tip  you want to share?

                                                                        --BJ Roche