Remember the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."  Up until recently, LinkedIn had a GREAT format which was very useful and worked extremely well.  Nevertheless, they have changed that successful format to a much different and less successful style, and eliminated some of the more important uses -- e.g., Advance People Search, notes, etc.

Even still, of all the changes and advancements in job search, by far the most important is LinkedIn.  You MUST have a LinkedIn profile in order to conduct a successful job search – indeed, also in order to advance your career!

If you do not already have a profile, simply go to www.linkedin.com and follow the directions to set up a beginning account.  (Tip: be certain to use an email address that you can always access – i.e., not your company email address.)  Then use the tools in the LinkedIn list here to complete your profile.

IMPORTANT: As soon as you have your profile established, you must immediately customize your LinkedIn URL.  If you already have a LinkedIn profile, check to be sure you also have a customized URL.  Follow the instructions included in the “Customize your URL” link in the list on the left.  I cannot overly stress how important this step is – be absolutely certain you have done this.  Once you have it customized, you will use it on all your job search documents.