If you’re really serious about personal branding, you are on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.  So where else can you build up  your personal profile and showcase your expertise?

Consider using Quora, the online question and answer community.

Here are 12 ways to use Quora as a platform to build your reputation, establish your expertise and get on the radar of recruiters and company execs for potential employment.

Next, search for keywords pertinent to your target industry. For example, if you’re looking for a job in social media, search for social, social media, social media marketing, social networks, and even specific social media tools by name.

Finally, if you’ve identified companies where you’d like to work, search for those company names and follow both topics and related questions. Keep in mind whatever you follow appears on your profile page.

Temper self-promotion in your responses. Reference yourself only if relevant to the question being asked, not because you want to draw attention to yourself in every answer you give. You’ll get far better attention from answering questions well than tooting your own horn.

Since you’re on a job search, ask questions about honing your search, how you can leverage your network, how you can put your best foot forward in social networks, even who’s hiring in the industries or geographic regions you’ve pinpointed for your search.

Ask questions about companies. Identify prospective companies to pursue for employment by asking questions about the types of companies where you’d like to work. If you’re narrowing down your target list for employment, ask direct questions about each company’s corporate culture or other questions that will give you insights into those companies.

Many of the above suggestions are based on best practices for interacting within any online community, and they can prove effective on Quora over time. Participating thoughtfully on Quora can make a good impression on both the Quora community and potential employers who are using Quora to identify worthy job candidates.

Quora (URL: http://www.quora.com ) is a continually improving collection of questions and answers created, edited, and organized by everyone who uses it. The most important thing is to have each question page become the best possible resource for someone who wants to know about the question.

One way you can think of it is as a cache for the research that people do looking things up on the web and asking other people. Eventually, when you see a link to a question page on Quora, your feeling should be: “Oh, great! That’s going to have all the information I want about that.” It’s also a place where new stuff–that no one has written about yet–can get pulled onto the web.

Attributes of Quora…

• Accumulating Knowledge
• Reusable
• Collaborative
• Continually Improving
• Organized
• Targeted
• People

People? Yes, everything on Quora is tied back to a person. Each question and answer has a revision history associated with it, and each change in the  log is associated with the person who made it. People use their real names and pictures on Quora and have a short bio describing who they are; this helps anyone reading things they write to understand why they should believe what is written and take into account the author’s perspective.

Steps to get onto Quora:

1. Start by setting up a good feed.

* Your activity feed has recent activity about content that interests you. You can view your feed by going to the home page.
* You can build a good feed by following and searching for topics, people, and questions.
* Topics: When you follow a topic, questions and answers tagged with that topic will appear in your feed
* People. When you follow people, you will see questions and answers posted by these people in your feed.
* Questions: When you follow a question, you will see activity about that question in your news feed (example: when a new answer is posted on the question).
* The easiest first step: start by following some topics that you care about and some people who write about them.
* You can also read some interesting questions to get a feel for the site.

2. Learn more, including:

* What does a good answer on Quora look like?
* What makes a good question on Quora
* Learn more about how to use Quora for users in specific fields and professions.

3. Follow a topic on Quora by simply pressing the “Follow Topic” button located in the upper right corner of the topics main page.

There’s a green “Follow” button to the right of a user’s name on every profile but your own. If you are already following the person, there will be a grey “Unfollow” button

4.  What are some good pages for you to check out?

Well, for example, consider the question that was recently posed on Quora:

Which human decision is the most important ever made?  By decision, I mean to a specific situation where individual persons made a conscious choice..

See the answers -  so far -  at:

http://www.quora.com/Which-human-decision-is-the-most-important-ever-made

5.  Categories and examples of Quora questions:

Businesses
* Why is Barnes & Noble performing well as a business while Borders is near (or has even reached) bankruptcy ?

Career Advice
* What would you advise your (hypothetical) 22-year old college-grad child to do with his or her life?

Children and Parenting
* What is the logic in making a child look up a word in the dictionary when they ask what it means, rather than just tell them the meaning?
* What is the right age to let your kids watch Star Wars? and Why do parents let their kids watch Star Wars at such a young age? Isn’t all the Darth Vader / killing stuff psychologically not good for little kids?
* Is it hypocritical to not report your child to the police if you know they have committed a minor crime? Why or why not?
* Why do some parents have their children circumcised?
* What are some alternatives to the Boy Scouts of America for families that don’t support their policies toward gays and atheists?

Etiquette
* How does one get better at remembering people’s names?
* If I see a missed call on my cellphone, but the caller didn’t leave a voicemail, am I socially obligated to return the call?
* Why is it important to teach children manners?
* How do you handle a friend who never chips in enough for a group dinner?

Food
* What are the best pizza toppings to get for a big group?
* In general, can you go to a restaurant and only get dessert?
* How can I learn to love salads?
* Is it rude to very politely ask a lingering group at a restaurant table when they are planning to leave?
* How should one think about the costs and benefits of opening a food truck?

History
* Which human decision is the most important ever made?
* What are good, accessible books on American history?
* Is there any point in studying the Middle Ages, in depth?
* What are some behaviors that are accepted now but might be considered immoral in the future?

Movies
* In The Dark Knight, how did the Joker really get his scars?
* In The Matrix, why doesn’t the Oracle tell Neo he’s the One?
* Was the movie Inception all a dream?
* Why were the Star Wars prequels so terrible?

Music
* Why is live music so loud?
* Who is the Alejandro that Lady Gaga sings about?
* What are the most iconic album covers?

Sports
* What are the most iconic images from the Olympics over history?
* How does a pitcher decide to become a closer instead of a starter?
* Should we root for Michael Vick?

Travel and Cities
* What are the best travel hacks?
* What are good tips for airplane travel with babies?
* Why do some people think San Francisco is the best city in the world?

Readitlater -  for professionals like you allows the queuing up of articles to read later, from your Readitlater account page.  Saving an article to read later is easy: you just add a bookmarklet to your Firefox bookmarks bar, and click it whenever you find something worth saving.

Some of the advantages that Read It Later offers are:

• to add and read saved information from almost any devices available on the market by using the web interface, native apps, or any other apps that support the Read It Later environment:
• to save information for offline reading, so you can continue reading your saved information even if your device is in airplane mode.
• to synchronize the reading progress so you can continue reading on another device and pick up where you left off.

How to set it up:

The first part is to create a free ReadItLater account on the “cloud”.    Have your user id and a password ready (with email verification), and you are set up to go.

Set up a reading list:

Build your list the easy way by adding the “Read It Later” bookmarklet to your browser’s bookmark bar. This bookmarklet should be compatible with every browser:

When you are browsing the net – and see something to read but do not have time now – save it for viewing at a later time:  Click the bookmarklet and the article will be saved.

Internet Explorer/FireFox plugins

Adding a plug to your favourite web browser allows you to mark web pages, items and text for reading later as you browse.   Plugins for all major browsers are available for downloading: for Firefox, Internet Explorer, Chrome, and iPad/phone.  Once downloaded, if you see a page, URL or link that is of interest, right-click the page or link and you now have an option to ReadItLater.   The URL link is now sent to your cloud account.  A new ReadItLater chevron button
is also added in the toolbar to add the entire current page you are currently viewing.

Mobility with RIL

But what makes Read It Later work so well is its ability to move seamlessly between your computer and your mobile device. For example, if you were in the middle of an article that you read on your browser at home when you had to go to work, you can continue reading on your iPhone on the way to the office. Read It Later’s iPhone App would pick up where you left off. Then if your commute was not long enough for you to finish the article, you could continue your reading at the office’s computer.

To continue your reading on your mobile app, tap the “Currently Reading” option on the front page of the app.

Using this combination I no longer have to bookmark interesting items, add a ToDo to read them, or get distracted into reading them now.

Instead, I can mark the items that interest me, and Read Them Later when time allows.

Here are New Year’s Resolutions to pick (why don’t you choose one, two, three OR ten..)

New Year’s Resolutions get a bad reputation for being something you say in January, but quit by February.

This year, make a resolution that you will …

• think about what I liked and disliked in previous jobs and develop the ultimate job description. I will use this to give my search focus and meaning
• network 80 % of the time and use the Web 20 % of the time
• be open to exploring many new options in the job market, understanding that there may be interesting opportunities beyond my traditional field
• review which tactics did and did not yield results in 2010, and I will work to understand how I might improve in those areas that did not do as well as I had hoped
• promise not to apply for positions I am definitely not qualified for
• ask friends or acquaintances who manage and hire people to evaluate my cover letter and resume and give me real feedback – even if it hurts to hear it
• set myself weekly goals during my job search and keep to their deadlines
• consider new industries and career paths, but I will research the likelihood of being able to make that switch easily
• work on building relationships with your recruiter by helping him/her as much as they help me
• will apply immediately (with a tailored cover letter and resume) and search for friends and colleagues who could act as referrals to help me network into the organization
• consider my job search a full-time job and will not become complacent with my current situation. I will prioritize my job search above television, video games, or recreational internet use
• meet (on the phone or in person) three new people a week who can help me with my job search
• be thoughtful about when to send my resume, and I will not send my resume to everyone I know and not spam my resume to companies where I am seeking employment. Instead, I will tailor my resume to each company, so that my relevant skills are stressed for each specific position of department. The company will know I am serious and intent on working there
• learn to leverage Social Media as a vehicle for communicating about myself, and not just as a distraction for hours chatting with new friends be specific about the type of work and organizations, including names of target organizations that I find most interesting
• send thank-you cards after every interview, whether I thought the interview went well or poorly
• not assume a person cannot help me find a job.  They may know a great contact I need to meet
• set up informal discussions with decision-makers/hiring managers even if they are not hiring right now.  They may be hiring soon be open to exploring many options because an interesting opportunity may exist beyond what I can see on the surface start attending more job fairs and networking events, including those that may put me outside of my traditional industry
• consider that my resume may not be as good as it could be and seek advice
• acknowledge that I may not be an interviewing pro. Especially if I’ve interviewed a lot and have not landed a job.  I will seek professional advice
• start considering a wide array of employment opportunities, instead of only the areas I’ve been used to build a plan for my job hunt by outlining resources to research and key people to contact.  I will create a schedule, too.  Milestones and goals are important
• provide or demonstrate my value to my newly-made contacts first, before asking for their help
• share my concerns with a few trusted friends who can offer good advice (instead of giving up hope)
• re-examine what my real financial needs are so that I can be more open to opportunities that may pay me less than what I want
• meet, whether by phone,direct e-mail, or in person, three new people who can help me in my job search each week
• will volunteer.  I will make good use of my time by meeting new people and creating substance for a discussion on “what I’ve been up to recently.”  I will make a difference when many can use my assistance
• evaluate opportunities by recognizing that this job can be a stepping stone to another job (inside or outside the company) – especially as the market improves
• not depend on my network to find a job for me, but will view it as one of several methods of finding employment
• Read.  Learn. Teach.  I will educate myself or others on a subject-matter than is pertinent to my profession
• do volunteer work to keep myself busy, and to also answer the question interviewers will put to me regarding what I have been up to recently in my unemployment
• consider exercise to be a good stress-reliever and pick a program I will enjoy (not necessarily bring the fastest results)
• ask friends or family to give me full and honest criticism of my resume and of my interview tactics, even if it may be difficult to hear
• not become frustrated with my job search, or, if I do, I will not take out that frustration on my friends or family.

“Just like flight attendants state, you need to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others”  – Lindsay Pollack

You have the power to positively influence your professional reputation

• Values, Skills, Character, Unique Voice, etc. = You
• How it is “packaged” and conveyed outwardly = Branding
• Your reputation as reflected back by others = Brand

You are advised to participate in social media professionally

• Provides networking opportunities
• Demonstrates motivation and engagement
• Demonstrates computer skills
• Demonstrates communication skills
• Makes you “findable” to employers

Are you a job seeker?

A recent Jobvite survey indicated:

• 80 percent use or are planning to use social networking to find and attract candidates
• 72 percent plan to increase their use of social networks

Among those:

• 95% use linkedin.com
• 59% use facebook.com
• 42% use twitter.com

By contrast only 26 percent plan to increase use of job boards

The main points: Employers are both sourcing and screening online so get your brand correct: “own” your online presence It’s probably okay if nothing is found. But, it’s better to control the message.

The 5-step process of branding includes:

1:   Determine and differentiate your strengths for a particular context … who you are and what you do
2:   Shape your message … how you talk about your brand
3:   Manage information and presentation … where you talk about your brand and how it looks, i.e., establish the online presence
4:   Be consistent with on-message activities … same look and feel for all social media sites
5:   Monitor how efforts are being received .. obtain feedback from your professional colleagues on your “personal brand”

Set up a routine that works for you:

• 15-20 minutes of Twitter per day
• 2-3 Linkedin answers or blog comments per week
• 1 blog post per week
• 1 12 second.tv video per week

What is holding you back?

• General reluctance or skepticism
• Platform reluctance (twitter, for example)
• Technological challenges/abilities
• Understanding value
• Return on investment
• Lack of time/commitment

Get going now:

Preparing yourself:

• Familiarize yourself with notable platforms
• Linkedin
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Wordpress
• Establish your own online presence
• Talk with colleagues and peers
• Find time to read and learn on an ongoing basis
• Best source = do it yourself!
• Good reading = mashable.com

Luft and Ingham called their Johari Window model ‘Johari’ after combining their first names, Joe and Harry.

The Johari Window is a model for understanding and training self-awareness, personal development, improving communications, interpersonal relationships, group dynamics, team development and inter-group relationships.

There are four quadrants to the Johari Window:

• OPEN. what is known by the person about him/herself and is also known by others or ‘the arena’
• BLIND. what is unknown by the person about him/herself but which others know or ‘the blindspot’
• HIDDEN. what the person knows about him/herself that others do not know or ‘the facade’
• UNKNOWN. what is unknown by the person about him/herself and is also unknown by others or ‘the unknown self’

Why is this important for you to know?  Because successful communication depends on the degree to which we can align ourselves and our “Johari Window” to match to recruiters, hiring managers, whomever we interact with.

This tool will give you an insight into how much you reveal about yourself.  Some folks are introverted and reveal little about themselves. Others are extroverted and reveal a great deal – hense keep their “window” open.

Each quadrant represents a different kind of personal information – Here is more detail about each quadrant:

Open quadrant represents the information that we know about ourselves and that also is obvious to others. For example, when you see someone you see important information about them: their gender, approximate age, skin color, if they appear to be fit and healthy or not. If you talked with them, you might be able to determine if English is their first language, or you may observe they have a wedding band on.  With this information – there is no privacy  – the way we look, how we speak, what we wear lets others know something about ourselves.

Blind refers to information that others know about us, but that we don’t know about ourselves. Others pick up information about us that is blinded to us. For example, a co-worker may observe that you move your knee rapidly when you’re bored in a meeting.  If this information is pointed out to you, you will probably notice it the next time you’re sitting in a meeting.  Knwing this means that it has shifted from being Blind information to being Hidden information and you are able to control it if you wish.

Hidden represents personal information that is known only to us: our life experiences, our thoughts, feeling, dreams…all of that information is within you and it is this information that we share with others. We’re always making decisions about how much of this information we disclose to others.  The hidden aspect of ourselves is specific to self-disclosure.

Unknown refers to personal information that is known to no one—not even ourselves. It is information that is outside of our awareness but still may affect how we think, feel, and behave. Sometimes this type of information is called an unconscious influence over who we are as individuals – it means is that we can’t get conscious access to it.

The Jobvite Social Recruiting Survey 2010 was conducted online between May and June 2010; over 600 human resource and recruiting professionals participated in the survey. Respondents answered questions using an online survey tools and the response data is available only in aggregate form.

Specifics on the survey include how social recruiting programs are measured; use of social networks like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for recruiting; spending trends and candidate quality of recruiting sources; use of online profiles in reviewing candidates; employee referral program; hiring plans and applicant characteristics.

Since you are looking for a job and should be active on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter (the three social networking websites most popular with employers, according to the survey), remember these four reasons to use these sites and actively manage your profiles.

• You’ll have access to job opportunities at progressive, growing companies.
• You’ll have access to job opportunities first.
• Employers are increasingly using LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to find and vet prospective employees.
• You may not find as many job ads on job boards or job opportunities through recruiters.

Link to Jobvite

Link to Article about Survey

But I recognize the importance of networking, especially as a newly hired employee or when I have been promoted to a new position.  This “transition” is period when the current employees in your new department / division or company are making up their minds about whether you are dependable—or a loser who should never have been hired / promoted.

Speaking of ‘transition” … Click here for a PDF on the golden age of networking! ”

Transition Tips:  See some best practices on personal branding, how to be a memorable job candidate and learning how to become a world-class networker.  Power networking strategies can quickly expand your network. Real world strategies to shorten your time in transition. Your dogged determination to never stop learning, executing and trying new strategies, especially if they take you out of your comfort zone will help to create a powerful personal brand for you.

Most people don’t take to networking naturally, which is why it is often tough for me to be comfortable about reaching out to people.   The key point is that networking is the best way to acquire crucial information about the job and on how to succeed early. So when I am newly hired (or promoted), I have committed to immediatley do the following:

1) Identify who is in your network:   I ask myself:   Who can help me? Who knows what’s going on? Who gets around roadblocks? Who are the critical links in the supply or information chain?

2) Dare to introduce yourself:    Most people will be more receptive than you think.  Few professionals will refuse a call from someone who starts the conversation with “I’m new in my job, and I’m trying to get to know people who….”

3) Share what you know:   Reciprocate by sharing information you know will be useful.  Keep connected with people by, for example, sending relevant articles once a quarter or congratulating your contact about a job change.

In conclusion, the time spent in the early days building a network will save time down the road when you’re trying to solve problems, leverage resources, and achieve success.  You will regret it if you fail to set up that initial contact with people.

Staying current is not only important to be on ready to be in top shape for your future employer, but given your weekly, variable schedule, you may be in an even better position to be able to step right into a new position, refreshed, knowledgeable and posed for a new opportunity.

What can you be doing now?

PARTICIPATING IN social networking

* Twitter – Follow people in your industry and you will find more links to articles and information than you can ask for.
* LinkedIn – Join groups, ask questions and answer questions.
* Blogs – Write, read and comment on blogs – it’s fast and an easy way to learn
* Other social networking sites and communities – Seek out other relevant sites based on your industry.

READING books, industry newsletters, magazines and blog posts (use Google Reader to assemble your RSS feeds in one place.  With the internet continuing to explode, finding websites with good, relevant information is easy.  I subscribe to over 30 industry blogs and have read a few social media books.  In addition, Slideshare is a website that allows individuals to post presentations, so searching the site can provide you with a lot of relevant content to learn from.

WATCHING online webinars

Ultimately, companies create webinars to get potential customers familiar with who they are and establish themselves as experts.  Lucky for us, they are usually incredibly informative and can easily fit into a busy schedule, as they are typically only an hour long.

VOLUNTEERING

I am volunteering at the California Academy of Sciences museum and at Taproot Foundation – to help the HR department select an applicant tracking system.  I am not getting paid for these engagements, but they provide me an opportunity to put something new on my resume, and keep my skill set current.

Overall, there are a multitude of opportunities to stay current while you’re out of work.  Doing so, could make the difference between getting a job or remaining unemployed and getting “rusty”.

Don’t forget an important feature of Linkedin Groups!

With the increased competitiveness in the job market, job seekers need to take advantage of every opportunity to follow a job lead and make a good first impression. One of the easiest ways to engage recruiters and hiring managers is through the group function of LinkedIn.

3 Suggested Groups for Job Seekers, not to be missed:

Job Openings, Job Leads and Job Connections!
Get hired. Apply for jobs. Post your Profile. Job, career and employment leads and advice. Network and connect with gatekeepers and decision makers. HR human resources headhunters recruiters recruitment staffing hiring education consultant management coaching alumni headhunter corporate recruiter.   JOIN

Helping Friends Career Network (LI2HF)
Welcome to the LinkedIn2 HFCN group — a business and career network of networkers for entrepreneurs, hiring managers, recruiters, and talented professionals worldwide to make meaningful win win win connections!   JOIN

Personal Branding Network
The Personal Branding Network is a consortium for all of those who are looking to build powerful personal brands, from around the world. We come together to provide each other with expert guidance so that we are better prepared for the future, while being able to delivering our brand promise today.   JOIN

Groups are a great way to develop your online brand presence in addition to the traditional uses and features of LinkedIn.  Use this excellent feature to keep your name and professional profile fresh in the minds of recruiters and hiring managers.

You can join up to 50 Groups on Linkedin – Take advantage of this privilege

Leave comments frequently within your Groups. This is highly recommended:

Leave interesting comments, tidbits, and other information on a regular and frequent basis that are professional and related to the group you are member of.

Also, note that messages between group members do not require an “introduction”.   When you are a member of a groups … you can contact anyone in the group – no cumbersome “introduction” process is required.   Make sure to reference the group you are both a member of when contacting them directly.

Group Management

LinkedIn Groups is your destination to find and join communities of professionals based on common interest, experience, affiliation, and goals. Stay in touch with organizations, schools, and companies that you are and were a part of, network with professionals with similar interests and goals, and collaborate in a professional community online.

LinkedIn Groups allows group organizations to extend their brand’s reach and strengthen the brand with existing users by providing additional value through LinkedIn’s features.

Groups Directory

Linkedin’s Groups Directory allows you to easily find the right group. Click on the “Category” dropdown to sort by different group types (Alumni, Corporate, Non-Profit, Corporate, etc). Once you have found a group you are interested in joining, click on the “Join Group” link to request to join the group. Clicking the  Share button lets you invite your connections to join the group as well.

Clicking the “Join Group” button starts the process of application to that particular group. If you should be denied access to a group you can see who the administrator or managers of a group are and approach them directly about gaining access although this needs to be approached with care.

Underneath the group summary you can also see who is involved in this particular group and is also a member of your network, either as primary contacts (”1st” symbol beside their name) or secondary contacts (”2nd” symbol beside their names – this means that they are  not directly in your network but are linked to someone in your network putting them 2 “links” away).

Once you have chosen what groups to be involved in, have a review of the discussions currently listed and get involved.

Your membership may be subject to review by a group manager. For instance, college and corporate groups may require a valid e-mail associated with the account. If you have any questions about joining a group, you can send a message to the group owner listed on the group information page.

A search able database of groups already in existence within Linkedin. This is the place to start upon entering Linkedin for the first time to establish the selection of groups that interest you and apply for permission to join.

Begin by searching for groups with titles associated with your industry (for example) and take your time.  There is no need to rush into joining groups straight away (although you can leave a group any time you wish). Browse and search different words to see what groups are available.  Alternatively you can use Linkedin Answers and ask what groups other established users would recommend for you in your field, saving you a lot of searching.

Groups are managed by the creators who choose to authorize access to their particular group so upon requesting permission to be accepted you will have to wait until moderation has been completed and you will receive an email informing you if permission has been accepted or denied.

When you select a group you are presented with a brief description of the groups theme and on the right side some basic information regarding the date of creation, group type and current number of members associated with the group.

My Groups

Once you have joined a group, it will appear on your left side navigation bar under “Groups”. Click on the Groups link to view all of your groups. This page gives you a quick overview of all of your groups, and allows you to access the homepages for each of your groups.

Your Group homepage gives you an overview of the activity in your group and allows you to take part in a private discussion. You can also click on the “Group Profile” link to view information about the group such as the owner, managers, website, and other information.

Discussions

LinkedIn Groups are now the best place to communicate with your group or organization online. Click on the “Discussions” tab on your Group to get started and view recent discussions.

This is a great way to keep in touch with organizations you are a part of, such as corporate and college alumni groups, non-profit organizations, trade groups, conferences, and industry-specific groups. You can discuss issues that are of interest to the entire group in this vibrant and professional atmosphere.

On the Discussions tab, you can also use the navigation links on the right side to sort discussions by most recent, popular topics, and those that you’ve participated in.

Members

Your group’s Members page allows you to view all the members in your group. To get started, click on the “Members” tab in your group and enter in your search terms in the “Search Group” box. You can search by name, company, and other keywords such as specific areas of expertise. This is a great way to find experts and utilize talent from within your network.

Settings

The “Settings” tab allows you change your contact and privacy settings for each Group. You can elect to display the group logo on your profile, change your privacy settings for network updates, and also decide how you want group members to be able to communicate with you.

Another important feature is the “Digest Email” option which allows you to receive updates by e-mail from your group. You can receive a summary of the recent discussions and other important messages from the group.

If you would like to change the order that your groups are displayed in, click on the “User Groups” link on the left-side navigation and scroll down to the “Change display order link”. This page allows you to change what groups are displayed on your navigation and groups homepage.

__________________________________________________________

Top 20 LinkedIn Groups recommended for Job Seekers:

1. JobAngels – Non-profit job search network of professionals helping other professionals find job advice and opportunities.
2. Executive Suite – Community of over 100,000 US-based executive-level and recruiter members.
3. Star:Candidate for Hire – Group working in tandem with Linked:HR, the largest Recruiters’ Group on LinkedIn, to help top candidates find jobs quickly and efficiently.
4. Career Rocketeer – Career Launch Network – Fastest-growing professional network for career search, career development and personal branding, bringing job seekers and employers, recruiters and career experts together for mutual success.
5. The Talent Buzz – Group for job seekers, recruiters and HR professionals interested in expanding their professional networks.
6. Helping Friends Career Network (LI2HF) – Business and career network where entrepreneurs, hiring managers, recruiters, and talented professionals worldwide can make meaningful win-win connections.
7. JobsDirectUSA – Official job search group on LinkedIn for JobsDirectUSA.com.
8. Career Change Central – Group linking job changers and professionals in career transition with recruiters, hiring managers and career coaches.
9. CareerLink Network – Community providing job seekers spiritual, physical, social, mental, economic and personal growth to meet their ever-evolving needs
10. Jobs Alert – Job search group for middle and senior-level managers worldwide.
11. A Job Needed – A Job Posted – Group is for all LinkedIn members searching for employment, posting employment or recruiters helping members find employment.
12. Looking for a Job? – Group designed to allow job seekers to share ideas, network, post jobs, advise on job market trends and ultimately help them find work.
13. MyCredentials – Career Presentation – Group helping members to network, expand their resumes and enhance their interview skills.
14. JibberJobber – Career Management – Network for executives, professionals, students and all those involved in the career services industry, including counselors, coaches and resume writers.
15. ResumeMaker Career Network – Forum connecting qualified job seekers with hiring managers and corporate recruiters as well as allowing candidates to discuss and share career opportunities.
16. Personal Branding Network – Consortium for all professionals looking to build powerful personal brands.
17. Indeed.com – Official job search group on LinkedIn for Indeed.com.
18. Project: Get Hired! – Motivational support group exclusively for job hunters to share creative strategies and stay motivated.
19. Job Search Help – Discussion group for job seekers sharing advice and leads and networking to help one another.
20. IMPACT Hiring Solutions Job Search Network – Discussion and networking forum for executives seeking job opportunities.

Additional Feature of Linkedin Groups: Create your own Group. Take control of your networking and create your own group allowing you to control the content and the members.

The creation of your group is a pretty simple and straight forward process.  The only part that needs some sort of skill would be the addition of a logo or brand name.

Creating the type of group, add the summary and description and link it to your site finally sorting out your contact details and geographic location and language.

Summary: Time to start adding professionals to your group by inviting or notifying possible interested parties to its existence. You could also add a link or page to your group on your website or blog  if the group is “public” and you want to expand and increase awareness and membership.