SCIP LinkedIn Group

LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking site mainly used for professional networking. As of May 2008, it had more than 20 million registered users, spanning 150 industries.

SCIP has started a LinkedIn group for current SCIP members to enhance their networking abilities. As of March 2009, more than 900 competitive intelligence professionals belonged to this group. To visit the SCIP LinkedIn group, click here.

Read on to learn how LinkedIn can benefit you.

The purpose of the LinkedIn is to allow registered users to maintain a list of contact details of people they know and trust in business. The people in the list are called Connections. Users can invite anyone (whether a site user or not) to become a connection.

This list of connections can then be used in a number of ways:

• A contact network is built up consisting of their direct connections, the connections of each of their connections (termed second degree connections) and also the connections of second degree connections (termed third degree connections). This can be used to gain an introduction to someone you wish to know through a mutual, trusted contact.
• It can then be used to find jobs, people and business opportunities recommended by someone in one's contact network.
• Employers can list jobs and search for potential candidates.
• Job seekers can review the profile of hiring managers and discover which of their existing contacts can introduce them.