April 9, 2013

With more than 200 million members, 7 million of which are Canadians, LinkedIn has become the quintessential global hub for career networking, job search, talent acquisition, and a vibrant platform for entrepreneurs to brand and grow their businesses. To better understand the strategies for effective use of this increasingly powerful and popular tool, the Young Professionals of Toronto (YPTO) hosted a seminar with LinkedIn Canada’s Marketing Manager, Steve Watt.

Steve Watt directs Canadian marketing activities for LinkedIn’s corporate talent acquisition products and services. He also leads several global content and thought leadership initiatives focused on employer branding and passive talent recruitment. Empowered with “insider” knowledge, practical tips and years of expertise, Mr. Watt delved into the essentials for savvy branding and networking with a dynamic presentation titled LinkedIn: Where Talent Meets Opportunity.

The event offered an interactive, intimate space for participants to uncover novel and organic ways for growing connections, obtaining recommendations, as well as key techniques for optimizing personal profiles and conducting smart searches. “LinkedIn is undoubtedly the world’s leading social media platform for professionals and entrepreneurs,” commented YPTO Chair Mihran Egavian, “and we want to make sure our constituency stays on top of the game.”

Mr. Watt further introduced a suite of tools and features recently developed by LinkedIn, expanded on the benefits of joining online professional communities, and encouraged the audience to become thought-leaders by actively engaging in group discussions. He also demonstrated how business owners can efficiently network with clients, and how clients can steer through the system to identify and connect with prospective suppliers. An equally important and insightful discussion evolved around LinkedIn etiquette.

Over 60 young professionals attended the seminar, followed by a Q&A, and a wine and cheese reception. Participants were also invited to update their LinkedIn profile photos, courtesy of Araz Boghossian Photography.