How to use LinkedIn to land the job

PayScale's Kristina Cowan wrote an excellent post on Monday about using LinkedIn to land a job. If you don't know what LinkedIn is or haven't the foggiest idea how to maximize your use of it, run -- don't walk -- to her post now.

My favorite tip Cowan offers: Before you create a profile, set some goals for yourself -- as in, what do you hope to get out of joining this social network? Friends in high places? Job leads? Endorsements of your talents? Otherwise, it's far too easy to spend a couple hours crafting what you think is a brilliant synopsis of your resume on LinkedIn, forget about it, and then six months later say, "Well, that was a colossal waste of time."

LinkedIn offers loads of perks: You can collect -- and proudly display references. You can ask a friend at a company you'd love to infiltrate to introduce you -- via LinkedIn -- to any hiring managers or key players they know at their place of employ (the very premise of LinkedIn -- making connections -- makes such introductions far less awkward). And as Cowan points out, you can join alumni and professional groups on LinkedIn, answer questions in the Q&A section to show prospective employers your expertise, and go to town on the site's Job search capabilities.

But LinkedIn isn't the only social network in the digital sea. This great post from the Naughty Secretary Club explains how to use everything from Twitter to Flickr to GoodReads to advance your career.

To that list, I'll add one more: Biznik, a locally grown social networking site aimed at independent professionals throughout the country. If you're thinking of starting a business on the side or want to expand the one you've already got, Biznik is definitely the place to trade entrepreneurial tips with like-minded solo workers.

Freelance writer Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail her at ninetothrive@nwjobs.com.