When LYJ alumna Barbara first took my class for women jobseekers, she was not active on LinkedIn and was hesitant to put a profile up. Over a year later, she has now come to understand the incredible value this social media tool can have on one’s job search.

Here are Barbara’s reasons why you should use LinkedIn:

1. Even if I am not happy with my LinkedIn profile, or have a very minimal one, it is still much better to get on there and make as many connections as possible. I was so afraid that every time I made a change, my connections would think I was doing weird stuff online. Now I see how little people take note of all the small changes or updates you make unless they want a job with you! I should not have been so shy!!!

2. Through LinkedIn, I can see who is getting hired into what positions in my top organizations and can follow their backgrounds and career trajectories.

3. Because job openings often appear on LinkedIn before the big job listserves, having my top 10 or more organizations to “follow” puts me in a better position to know when any of them are hiring. I am also able to better gauge what positions are appropriate for me, which is not always clear from reading a job description.

4. Groups! I find I am connected to people in a lot of the organizations I like through LinkedIn groups. I wish I had found all the ones that interested me from the beginning! Groups tell you about events and news releases that are great to know. Free networking and online courses are also advertised there.

5. Through LinkedIn, I can determine who the head of a department is, then Google that person and possibly see them talking about their work on YouTube or other podcasts. I can get a feel for the lingo they use, what they are passionate about, and what trends they are following in the field. In the event I get to interview with these people, I’ll have lots of great questions that speak directly to the things they are proudest of and that get them excited.

6. The biggest thing I realized is that cold call job applications are really not the way anyone gets a job anymore. It’s all about having a connection that gets the hiring person to actually read your resume.

LinkedIn has made me really aware of just how valuable every single friend I have can be—everybody knows somebody, and even in a big city like New York we can all be connected!