5 Better Ways to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- Most LinkedIn(LNKD) users probably know they can use the Web site to connect with professional acquaintances and view job listings, but the social network offers many other tools job hunters can use to get ahead in their careers that they might not be aware of.

Just last year alone, LinkedIn introduced a social news feature to help keep users up to date on their industry, added status updates to company pages and improved the search options for those trying to make connections on the site, all of which helped LinkedIn pass 150 million users by the end of the year.

LinkedIn is good for much more than just updating you about your friends' career changes.

Whether you're one of those new users or a longtime member, chances are you're not using the site to its fullest potential. Here are five simple steps you can take on LinkedIn to make your job search more efficient and potentially more successful.

Use the Resume Creator
LinkedIn doesn't just advertise your resume, it also helps you make one. The LinkedIn Resume Creator transforms the information you've put on your profile into a proper resume, using one of a handful of templates on the site. Users can tweak that resume as much as they want. Even better, LinkedIn creates a custom URL for the resume so you can send it out quickly to your contacts.

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Use the JobInsider toolbar
Few things help your chances of landing a job quite as much knowing someone at the company, which is why LinkedIn's JobInsider toolbar is so helpful. Users can install the feature on their Web browser (Firefox or Internet Explorer only) and turn it on anytime they look at a job posting online to find out if anyone in the person's LinkedIn network works there. If so, you can ask that person to pass along your resume to the hiring manager or perhaps put you in touch with the hiring manager directly.