Larry Illand spent six months sifting through online classified ads searching for a new job.
Although the Littleton resident had several interviews, he was unable to find a position as a business-development manager until he started spending more time on a business networking website, LinkedIn.com.
“I was using it for sales and networking in my previous job and was able to get noticed by a recruiter in the Northeast,” Illand said. “I was able to get exposure to a lot of headhunters I probably wouldn’t have (on other sites).”
LinkedIn Corp. is a business networking website hosting more than 5.2 million members worldwide. Based in Palo Alto, Calif., the site was co-founded in 2003 by former PayPal executive vice president Reid Hoffman.
Supported by $10 million of venture- capital funding acquired in 2004, the privately held company reached profitability last month, said LinkedIn officials. The company declined to disclose the amount of profits or revenues.
Unlike social networking websites, such as MySpace.com or Friendster.com, LinkedIn is focused solely on the business connection. No profile photos, no listing of your favorite song or zodiac sign.
Instead, users post their professional work and academic histories on LinkedIn. In addition to the typical pull-down menus used to categorize industries, users can freely type in more detailed information.
There are 57,426 LinkedIn members in the greater Denver area, according to company spokeswoman Wen Wen Lam. Denver ranks about fifth in usage nationwide.
Most people are introduced to LinkedIn by an e-mail invitation, asking them to check out the site. Participants initially can sign up for free. Site veterans say the key is making connections and building a network of sources.
An initial free membership lets users request five online introductions to other members. For fees ranging from $5 to $200 a month, participants can request more introductions and obtain the ability to e-mail other members, which is not permitted with a free membership.
Members can submit endorsements for people in their network. A simple line from a client or colleague helps add credibility, participants say. An example might read, “Mike is a fantastic guy that I enjoy associating with, both professionally and personally.”
An endorsement might make a profile stand out in a crowd, especially among recruiters.
“They certainly do help. The one with the endorsements is going to catch my eye first,” said Heather Wiester, senior national account manager for JobPlex Inc., a Chicago-based executive- search firm. Wiester works out of the Denver office, which has placed 15 people in jobs using LinkedIn. She has been using the site for three months.
“That’s really good for a single resource,” she said. “I personally use LinkedIn on a daily basis because the personal information is updated, correct and just across-the-board consistent in quality.”
LinkedIn’s search function allows users to define the information and contacts they seek from other members.
“I just started doing searches. I searched on events, promotions and marketing, and I found exhibitors I wanted to attract,” said Mike O’Neil, president of Denver-based Integrated Alliances. “I found out not just their name, their whole work history. So it was easy to develop a relationship by saying, ‘I see you went to Arizona State,’ or, ‘We used to work together.”‘
O’Neil has about 430 primary, or first-level, connections on LinkedIn, which ultimately give him access to a network of 750,000 people. He and others say they use the service as if it were a personal phone book or Dex directory.
LinkedIn said it doesn’t have any aggressive marketing plans, growing instead by word of mouth.
Staff writer Kimberly S. Johnson can be reached at kjohnson@denverpost.com or 303-820-1088.
