Not only is LinkedIn a great way to get connected to individuals in your career field, it is a "must" for those in career-transition.  Employers usually start checking out your profile (if you have one) as soon as you apply for a job.  It is also a great resource for finding jobs as well.  Many employers by-pass the large job sites to target those professionals on LinkedIn.

But there are many ways that you can use LinkedIn to your advantage.  The following text is a blog article titled '10 Ways to use LinkedIn' by Guy Kawasaki that job-seekers need to read.

Most people use LinkedIn to 'get to someone' in order to make a sale, form a partnership, or get a job. It works well for this because it is an online network of more than 40 million experienced professionals from around the world representing 170 industries. However, it is a tool that is under-utilized, so I've compiled a top-ten list of ways to increase the value of LinkedIn. The numbers in this article have been modified to reflect more current membership of LinkedIn.