LinkedIn has been making a great effort this year to improve the expand the site’s internal Search capabilities. LinkedIn recognizes that the professional use of the site has evolved beyond resumes and job postings, and that businesses and professionals are using the site to forge new connections and relationships for a variety of purposes.
LinkedIn also recognizes the importance of having the data that you need available wherever you are, so they continue to make strides in improving their mobile app ecosystem.
Today’s update brings this more powerful Search to the iPhone app. Users are able to search for and discover new people, jobs, companies and groups, all from mobile.
From the top of every screen within the app, simply tap the Search field and open the Search dialogue. Search is divided into four tabs:
– People you’re connected to
– Jobs
– Companies you follow as well as new companies
– Groups you’ve joined as well as new groups
The search is a Name search for Jobs, Companies and Groups. For People, search includes, Name, Title, and far more, so it’s a more comprehensive result set.
This brings some pretty powerful research tools to your pocket. If you’re out of the office, perhaps at a conference or walking into a new business, you can use LinkedIn to find out more about the person you just met, or are about to meet.
Looking at a Company Page on LinkedIn, for instance, will tell you not only “About” that company, but you will also be able to see their most recent posts and perhaps more importantly, how you’re connected. If you’re already connected to an employee at a company, perhaps that individual can help you schedule a meeting with the person you need to talk to. That’s worth taking a moment to look into, rather than trying to cold call the CEO.
So grab the udpate, try some searches, and let me know what you think! If you’re looking for help with LinkedIn and how to use it to generate leads for your business, please contact me.
