It’s a simple, modern approach to keep track of contacts who could be useful in your professional life. That person you met five years ago at a conference might end up working at your ideal company, or that coworker from your first job might know a hiring manager you’d like to approach. You can reconnect and pursue a new lead by simply sending a quick message.

It’s a useful tool for conducting company research. The study of firms is a key phase in the application and interview process. This is something that LinkedIn can assist you with. You can also use the platform to check up folks you’ll be interviewing, which might help you prepare for the interview.

It can involve the development of your corporate image. People can give you endorsements and recommendations, which helps recruiters and others who are looking at your profile get a sense of your skills and expertise. In general, your LinkedIn profile can be used to establish and grow your brand. If someone searches for a person’s name online, their LinkedIn profile page is often one of the first results.