Have you kept up with LinkedIn's latest updates, redesigns and new features? The social network for professionals, which now has more than 200 million users worldwide, has been busy this year, releasing changes to its search capabilities, job hunt features and more.
With the new features coming fast and often without any fanfare, its likely that you may have missed what's new and wondered how to best use the enhancements to find a new position or build your network of contacts.
Here's a look at five of LinkedIn's newest features, plus how you can make the most of them.
1. How to Mention Your Colleagues in Status Updates
Much like you can on Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn now lets you tag your connections in your status updates.
"We know that LinkedIn members are some of the most engaged professionals online," says Angela Yang, associate product manager at LinkedIn. "After all, are involved in millions of conversations across LinkedIn day after day. Thats why we want to make it even easier for you to start those conversations, share knowledge with one another and ultimately become even better at what you do."
To mention a connection-or a company-begin by typing the name in your status update box or comment field on the homepage. A drop-down menu will appear with the names of the people or companies you're connected to; select the appropriate one.
The people or company you mention will receive a notification alerting them that they have been mentioned.
[Want more LinkedIn tips, tricks and analysis? Check out CIO.com's Complete Guide to LinkedIn.]
2. How to Use Advanced Search to Job Hunt
LinkedIn's newly redesigned Jobs page includes a handful of new features for both Premium subscribers and traditional account holders.
To find the Advanced Search feature, navigate to Jobs in the top menu, then click Advanced next to the search bar.
This new feature lets you find open positions by country, industry, zip code and function. Click "More options" for additional fields, including experience level and, if you have a premium LinkedIn account, by salary.
3. How to Receive Alerts on Saved Searches
In March, LinkedIn rolled out a number of updates to search, including auto-complete, suggested searches, an updated algorithm, enhanced advanced search and automated alerts.
Automated alerts let you set whether you want updates to a search query or job search emailed to you daily, weekly or monthly. To find this setting, enter a keyword into the search box or navigate to Jobs and perform a search there.
Then, click "Save search" in the top right of your screen. From the drop-down menu, select how often you would like to be alerted when new results are available. You can save up to 10 people searches and 10 job searches.
4. How to Find Jobs You Can Be Referred To
Part of LinkedIn's redesign of its Jobs page is the addition of the "Discover jobs in your network" feature, which displays the companies at which you have connections and are hiring. You can find this new section below "Jobs you may be interested in" listing on the Jobs page.
Clicking on a company takes you to its LinkedIn page where you can browse your connections who work there and view the open positions.
5. How to Use LinkedIn's Alumni Tool to Job Hunt
Earlier this year, LinkedIn debuted a redesign of LinkedIn Classmates, now called LinkedIn Alumni, with a handful of new features.
At the top of your Alumni page you'll see three subheads: "Where they live," "Where they work," and "What they do." Click the arrow to the right to view additional categories, which include "Where they studied," "What they're skilled at" and "How you are connected."
If you're job hunting and know you want to work for Google, for example, use the Alumni tool to find graduates of your school-and with your major-who work there now.
If the company doesn't appear in your top list, click the magnifying glass icon to search for it. Then, select the field of work to narrow the pool.
Kristin Burnham covers consumer technology, social networking and social business for CIO.com. Follow Kristin on Twitter @kmburnham. Follow everything from CIO.com on Twitter @CIOonline and on Facebook. Email Kristin at kburnham@cio.com
Read more about consumer in CIO's Consumer Drilldown.
Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.