LinkedIn is one of the oldest social networking sites that still works today. Founded in December 2002, the platform has grown considerably over the years, unlike the many that have finally disappeared in that period of time.

According to Top Dog Social Media, more than 84 million people use LinkedIn in the United States alone. To put this in proper perspective, this is around 27% of the entire population. But LinkedIn is not your average social media platform.

Rather than cater to typical social interactions, LinkedIn was developed to help business professionals network and create profiles that are essentially live resumes online.

Being on LinkedIn is an important step for people who hope to continue growing and nurturing their career paths in the construction, engineering, and environmental industries. Here we discuss why.

Building your network

With so many professionals on LinkedIn, the site is the perfect medium to build your network of industry professionals. Other users even have the ability to endorse the skills that you have listed on your profile, which is essentially a check that you can actually perform in the way you indicate.

A good network can open a world of opportunity for those who are serious about their careers. It can help you get new jobs or promotions and allow you to stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends, such as:

• What do future material cost projections look like?

• What are the newest technologies or trends to affect these industries?

• What environmental problems are currently occurring around the world?

Curriculum vitae

The term “resume” means that the information in your LinkedIn profile can be constantly updated or added to keep everything as up-to-date as possible.

It is for this reason that so many hiring managers have become accustomed to using these profiles in their process. A person who submitted their resume for consideration three months ago may have new skills or education relevant to that position.

However, to take advantage of this properly, you should keep your profile as up-to-date as possible. When you receive a new certification, earn a degree, or complete a related project, you must include it on your LinkedIn profile within 48 hours of completion.

Allowing your profile to become stale will hamper your career growth. This is especially true of all careers in the construction, engineering, and environmental industries, where staying current is vital for safety and efficiency.

Promote yourself

LinkedIn is the perfect catalyst for career advancement efforts. You can share your profile with other social sites, including blogs or websites. Your profile will also appear in search engine results, which can then be viewed by employers looking for professionals in your industry.

All your professional information is available to everyone, which is a solid asset in building a solid career. Your achievements, certifications, education, previous projects, cover letter, and links that prove what you have stated appear on your page. Providing this information publicly allows you to appear transparent, trustworthy and secure.

Be hired

LinkedIn is one of the best ways for industry professionals to get hired. Your profile gives you the option to indicate that you are open to offers, that you are actively looking for a new job, or that you are not currently open to any offers. Employers or hiring managers can search for professionals seeking employment by industry and desired skills.

While anyone can submit their resumes for specific jobs, using LinkedIn as a method of getting hired is a step above the rest. This is due to the fact that limited work is necessary on your own behalf. Just keep your profile up to date and continue to advance your qualifications so that job openings start pouring in.