by Vikki Diamos | @VikkiDiamos In January 2001, the unemployment rate was at a mere 4.2%. Fast forward to 211, and it's now raised to a whopping 9.1%. That's more than double what it was about ten years ago. With membership connected with just about every single job in different industries, LinkedIn, the world's largest professional network, can be used as an effective job search tool.

Have you used the search bar at the top right corner? On the left of the text box (where you can type in a name for a potential connection or a company to follow), there should be a light gray drop box set on People by default. Click on it, and set it on Jobs. Ta-da! Instead of searching for possible LinkedIn connections, now you have access to job openings posted by top ranking professionals from many prominent companies.

Can't move from your current location for a potential job several states (or even countries) away? No problem! Type in your zip code, and you can search with an area limit of a ten to a hundred-mile radius.

Are you following companies in industries you're interested in? You can keep up with their job openings from their updates. Click on "Companies" on the main LinkedIn navigation menu to view them.

What great job or internship have you snagged using LinkedIn?

Source: Bureau Of Labor Statistics