We just launched a major revamp of Plaxo profiles, based on feedback from our most active users. The goal of the re-design was to give you a profile that is:

- More professional – with greater emphasis on work history and removal of religion and politics
- More dynamic – with higher visibility for stream of content you’re sharing from all over the Web
- More personal – giving more of the page’s “real estate” over to you.

Check out yours, and make sure it reflects the image you want to project to each of your key audiences. Use the new preview feature to see how your profile appears to the public, to other members you’re not connected to, and to your business network, your friends, and your family.

Here's how mine looks to my business connections:

Also, we’ve now built a bridge between profiles and address book. For the appropriate profiles, you’ll see an “in your address book” link, which slides down a little window into your address book, with contact info at a glance and an editable notes field.

Last, we’re really proud of the enhancements we made to public profiles. The new design gives you the ability to create a public presence that is professional in style, that has great search-engine-optimization, and that is truly public (not just a teaser to get visitors to sign up for or sign in to Plaxo).

We hope and believe the revamped profiles with do a better job of helping you:

- build and nurture your network
- stay up-to-date on the people important in your life and career, and
- connect you with the right people and opportunities.

If you haven’t gotten around to creating a presence on Plaxo, now is a great time, as we have also added a Profile Builder that makes creating a great dynamic and professional profile a snap!

The next time you sign into Plaxo, you’ll see we’ve added a “My Career” tab. Click on it, and you’ll find a free set of professional tools that will help you get more out of your investment in Plaxo (now and over time).

One of the most powerful of these new tools, the Company Navigator, an interactive dashboard for your extended network, just went live this afternoon. This unique tool enables you for the first time to see and navigate a company-based view into your first- and second-degree network (inclusive of your connections, their connections, and the people in your address book). Discover the reach of your network, company by company, sorted by how many people you know there (or by company name).

For Plaxo members in the U.S., the My Career tools also include Job Search, which can connect you to over 3 million career opportunities, and Social Job Listings, which turbo-charge job listings with the “social power” of the sharer’s network. These features are powered by SimplyHired, the largest job search engine, through a partnership we announced earlier this year.

Whether you’re looking for your next opportunity, looking to hire great talent, or just keen on strengthening your network, My Career has something for every professional. You’ll find tools to help you:

- Grow and nurture your professional network
- Build your personal brand
- Become more find-able
- Navigate your extended network
- Discover career opportunities
- Hire great talent

Investing in your professional network is always a good idea, but it is vitally important in an economic downturn. Now, with the My Career tools, it has never been easier to build up, nurture, and leverage yours. Get started now at www.plaxo.com/myCareer.

John McCrea
vp of marketing