John Campagino, Accenture’s head of global recruiting, was recently interviewed for an an article in March’s issue of Fortune Magazine. When asked what executives need to do to land a job in the tough job market we are experiencing today, he commented, “You’d better be on the web; or to put a sharper point on it, if you don’t have a profile on LinkedIn, you’re nowhere.”

I receive a large number of emails from organizations serving the recruiter community on a daily basis, and the emphasis on using online networking sites, LinkedIn in particular, is striking. There are a plethora of seminar choices and tools that focus on teaching recruiters how to effectively leverage LinkedIn to source candidates. Clearly LinkedIn is the place to be, unless you want to be invisible in the invisible job market.

In discussing LinkedIn with my executive clients, the concern about a current employer’s perception of maintaining a presence on LinkedIn often arises. As long as you do not check the box indicating that you are “seeking new opportunities,” this should not be a problem. It is perfectly appropriate to use the site as a tool for developing new business contacts, building business, and cultivating relationships. Any employer who has advanced to the 21st century will realize that cutting edge technology such as this is the future of business.