Joining groups

There are over 400,000 groups on LinkedIn. Yes, that's right over 400,000. You can find a group for just and any interest, personal or professional. You can join up to 50 groups and even if you don't join that many you should join a bunch of them. It's a way to learn about business areas, meet people through the discussions, post your own questions and learn things.

Go to the upper right hand-side where it says People. Hit the drop down button and the last on the list is Groups. Start filling in the box your interest and see what comes up. When you join a group make sure to check that you want the weekly digest not the daily one. You don't want your email Inbox to be swamped.

Why Should I Join Groups?

By joining groups you spread your outreach.

LinkedIn allows you to join up to 50 groups. Don't just join buisness groups but think about other things -- your geographical area, your personal interests and things you want to be involved with.

I joined the Foodies group because -- guess what -- I love food and any discussions about food. Even though I feel outclassed by the many food professionals it's still a great place for me because I enjoy the postings and have actually answered a few quesitons myself.

The networking groups are great and so are the alumni groups. You'll meet people from all over the world, answer their questions and maybe get a chance to do business with them.