Back in 2012, Hillary Clinton had a basic question about LinkedIn:

“How does this work?”

Clinton wrote the query in an email to staffers at the State Department. It was revealed in late October in a new batch of emails as part of an investigation over her use of a private server.

Clinton aide Robert Russo replied to Clinton:

“Yes — it is a social networking site where you…post an online version of your resume. Former and current colleagues and employers have the opportunity to write positive things about your work, all in the hope that it can be used to find a job.”

Russo is right. Well, he’s half-right. LinkedIn is a place to post an online resume and look sharp as you apply for jobs. But the site is a tremendous networking tool for people in jobs too.

If you Google yourself, one of the top results is probably your LinkedIn profile. That means the profile is your first impression on the Internet. Do you like how you look?

To freshen your profile, check out two posts on my blog:

• How to Write the Perfect LinkedIn Profile Summary
• How to Write a Sharp LinkedIn Professional Headline

And to up your networking game:

• A Smarter Way to Connect with People on LinkedIn

In my new book, Wait, How Do I Write This Email?, I provide even more templates for LinkedIn networking and our profile pages.

The templates are easy to follow and implement. My book contains more than 100 templates and guides for the job search, networking, LinkedIn and applying to graduate school. More info on the book here.

Get your copy now!

Featured photo: Keith Kissel (Flickr)