The LinkedIn platform has expanded tremendously over the past several years, and members use LinkedIn in a variety of ways based on who they are, what they do, and what’s going on in their career. Here’s what you need to know about LinkedIn apps so you can customize your experience and make the most of mobile:
LinkedIn (also called Voyager). This is LinkedIn’s primary app. It was recently redesigned and relaunched at LinkedIn’s Talent Connect event in Anaheim, California, in 2015. The new version has a simpler design featuring five key elements: Home, Me, Messaging, My Network and Search. The interface was completely revamped too, increasing the speed of communications while making them more interactive and conversational.
LinkedIn Connected. I really like this app because it keeps you on top of what’s happening within your network without requiring you to actively seek it out. It’s quite simple in its functionality. It allows you to stay connected with your network members at times that are important to them: birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, landing a job. Of course, I don’t send a Happy Birthday wish to connections I don’t know well, but I find this app very useful for staying connected in a world where distractions are the norm. LinkedIn just announced that they will be doing away with this app in March 2016 and incorporating this feature in their primary app, so stay tuned.
LinkedIn Groups. This app lets you find, join and engage in LinkedIn groups so you can build and nurture your professional network, giving you all the capabilities you have with Groups at linkedin.com. This app was redesigned and launched in Q4 2015, and the result is that it makes the mobile experience feel more like the desktop. I am a strong advocate of LinkedIn Groups and believe it is one of the best personal branding tools available to career-minded professionals.
LinkedIn Pulse. This app provides access to news and content from LinkedIn thought-leaders. Pulse provides one simple stream of content that’s pulled from various places. Its personalized design delivers content that’s relevant to you. In addition to your Pulse feed with content from the Influencers and LinkedIn long-form publishing authors you choose, it features posts that your network members share or comment on as well as stories that mention your company or the people you work with. It’s an excellent app for staying informed about your field with great efficiency; you can access it in short bursts – like when you’re waiting in line at Whole Foods. You can save articles of interest and return to them when you have more time.
LinkedIn SlideShare. I am a major SlideShare enthusiast (see this post to learn why you should be using SlideShare for personal branding). This app gives you access to the 18+ million SlideShares available in their library – allowing you to view, like, share and save presentations that you find valuable. This is an easy way to stay on top of your area of expertise and find other thought-leaders with whom to connect.
LinkedIn Lynda. If you subscribe to Lynda for anytime, anywhere learning, you can access your account and learn on the run with the Lynda app. Because being mobile may mean learning in short bursts of time, the latest release of the app allows you to stop a lesson and pick up where you left off when you’re ready to continue. And you can sync your course history with all your devices. This means you can start learning at the office and continue on the subway while you’re heading home.
If you pay for Premium or you/your company subscribes to other LinkedIn products for recruiting or sales, there are additional apps which you many find useful: Job Search, Sales Navigator, Elevate, LookUp and Recruiter.
LinkedIn is powerful as a desktop application, but the suite of apps gives you mobile access to the features you find most valuable. This means you can build your brand whenever and wherever it’s convenient for you.
No matter how you choose to participate in LinkedIn, remember to create a quality profile so that when people check you out, they want to connect.
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