Many a time we consider career networking site LinkedIn irrelevant and don’t pay much attention to updating info or even sharing it as a reference but the truth is, LinkedIn is still important when it comes to building networks, securing jobs and boosting your personal growth.

According to Emma Nkubana, a human resource management specialist, more than ever, today employers take time to do background checks on individuals before hiring them. Chances are, when you have a LinkedIn page, it will be the first to pop up when your name is searched.

It is there that everything about you can be found and a decision to hire you made. There are plenty of opportunities on LinkedIn for those looking for new jobs or challenges.

Below are some reasons from Forbes as to why you should keep your LinkedIn profile freshly updated and active. The benefits can be really immense.

Your LinkedIn profile builds trust and credibility

A well written LinkedIn profile will give you credibility and will establish you as a trustworthy potential employee. Every time a recruiter contacts you, you can be sure that they’ve looked at your profile. Your LinkedIn profile will act as a validator in that you are a real person and not someone whose CV or resume is too good to be true.

Employers and managers are on LinkedIn

According to available evidence, LinkedIn will help you find a job faster because most hiring managers and recruiters are already using it. A whopping 87% of recruiters find LinkedIn to be the most effective when vetting candidates during the hiring process – especially those under 45 (90%).

Having an active and well put together LinkedIn profile will, thus, significantly increase the chances of your discovery by various companies looking to hire people based on your skills and experience. In other words, potential employers will contact you if they think you will be a good fit for their organisation, instead of you having to look at and contact each company actively.

Networking opportunities

LinkedIn also offers you an excellent opportunity to network with other professionals in your field. And the faster you start this networking, the better it will be down the line. Regardless of whether you currently are working, you can make use of your network of connections if you are looking for other employment.

Your connections will have their network and can be introduced to people from various companies you are looking to work for.

Regular updates on job openings

With a LinkedIn account, you will be able to continually keep an eye out for various job opportunities that will interest you. The overwhelming majority of companies will post any job openings that they may have, and you can keep track of these in real time.

Building a personal brand

LinkedIn offers you the opportunity to build a personal brand. You must have already noticed how easy it becomes for individuals or companies to stand out from others and boost their conversions by building a strong brand name. The same can happen to you as well if you can create a strong personal brand for yourself which people can base on to hire you or help you to negotiate better.