By Cori Swidorsky

LinkedIn groups are an excellent way to find and join communities of professionals based on common interest, experience, and goals. Within LinkedIn groups you are able to view and participate in discussions, view jobs being posted within the group, and to communicate with members of the group by sending them direct messages.

LinkedIn groups are broken into categories such as Networking, Professional, Alumni, and Corporate.  You must be a member of LinkedIn in order to join any of the LinkedIn Groups.  You can search groups by going to the LinkedIn Groups Directory  There are over 300 Pittsburgh LinkedIn Groups.

Three benefits of joining LinkedIn Groups

  • Engage in Professional Discussions: A great way to get your name out there and to get noticed is to get involved or even start your own discussions within the group. Share your experiences and knowledge, ask questions and respond to other discussions. Sharing your knowledge can help you get noticed by Pittsburgh recruiters and hiring managers and can lead to an unexpected opportunity.
  • Contacting Group Members: Group members are able to send messages directly to other group members. This is a great benefit because members you normally wouldn’t be able to connect with because of member profile settings or member packages, are now available to receive messages.
  • Job Postings: LinkedIn groups offer a section for jobs, which is separate from the jobs listed on the LinkedIn job board. Recruiters and hiring managers can post jobs for free in groups and it’s a great way for them to target job seekers in specific industries and locations. You may find Pittsburgh job postings in LinkedIn groups that are not posted on the major job boards.

LinkedIn groups are a way to expand your network, find hidden job opportunities, and engage in discussions with other local professionals. Start expanding your Network today by joining LinkedIn groups.

Authors Bio

Cori Swidorsky has 11 years of experience in the Recruiting Industry and coaching job seekers through a successful job search.  Cori is the owner of Pittsburgh’s Ultimate Career Connection, and A Recruiters Tips on Job Searching.  She also writes for Examiner.com