By Eve Mayer Orsburn
When you need to get something done in business, you think of the people who can help you achieve that goal. Sometimes, though, you don’t have the right connections. Sometimes, you do have the right connections, but you don’t even realize it! LinkedIn builds an instant roadmap showing you how you’re connected to other people.

You might not even realize that your neighbor from two houses down works at that company you’ve been hoping to partner with. But if you’ve imported your old neighbor into LinkedIn, and you search for the company you’re interested in, the connection you never knew you had will appear right on the screen so you can take action.

There are now over 675,000 groups, covering just about every subject on LinkedIn, and you can join up to 50 of them. Here is your opportunity to meet people that you didn’t even know before. Just remember, when you start joining groups, it is ok to join some that hold people that are like you and can teach you about your business, your industry and form partnerships with you. However, if you are using LinkedIn as you should be, it is important to remember that you need be joining groups full of people very different from you that will help you reach your goals. For example, if you are a business owner who needs funding, join groups full of venture capitalist and angel investors. If you are a marketing executive for a medical device company, join groups full of medical professionals and doctors.

Once you are in a LinkedIn group, you will find discussions, news, jobs and information you cannot find anywhere else. Plus, you can post in these groups, including jobs, for free! There are loads more things to explore on LinkedIn, but this should give you an excellent start. As with any social media, always remember that success starts with you connecting with others, assisting them, and sharing valuable information. If you still need help, make sure to connect with me. I’m probably on LinkedIn right now.