Image
Top
Navigation
October 18, 2011

Path.to – Create Your Professional Persona

Path.to is an online network that people can use to bolster their professional profiles. Although professional networking sites are nothing new, Path.to takes the concept of digital networking and online resumes to a whole new level thanks to its peer endorsements and personal analytics tools that let people see how many other users are visiting their profile pages.

Signing up for Path.to is as simple as signing in with your Facebook account. Path.to also offers LinkedIn and Google+ integrations to help you get your new profile set up as quickly as possible. Once you’re set up, head to Path.to’s easy-to-understand and comprehensive dashboard page. There, you will see all of your networking activity in one place. This is also the place where you’ll find various tips and tricks for how to get better use out of your Path.to account. Once you’ve gotten a page set up and you’re ready to check out more of the site, you’ll want to start gathering endorsements from people you’ve worked with in the past. Path.to lets people endorse their colleagues and other professionals they’ve worked with based on certain skills rather than based on generalities. The professional contacts who endorse you on Path.to are asked to briefly explain their endorsements and list which skills you excel at. The more endorsements you get and the better reputation you earn on Path.to, the higher you’ll climb on the network’s leaderboard.

Finally, it’s worth noting the usefulness of Path.to’s personal analytics tools. Not only do these tools let people see which websites are linking to their professional profiles, but the service also notifies users when someone mentions their Path.to pages elsewhere on the web. This is an endlessly useful feature when it comes to managing a professional reputation and developing a personal brand.

Practical Uses:

  • Present yourself in a professional way to potential employers
  • Develop a reputation as someone who is knowledgeable about your field
  • Create a professional page where you can link up with coworkers
  • Give endorsements to former colleagues who you’ve worked with in the past

Insider Tips:

  • Path.to integrates with Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+
  • Users can compete to gain status on Path.to’s leaderboards
  • Leaderboards can be separated by popular skills or industries
  • Analytics tools show who is linking to a user’s Path.to page

What we liked:

  • People can use Path.to to make connections in a professional way
  • Being placed on a leaderboard is a good way to get noticed by potential employers
  • Profiles can be customized in a number of different ways
  • Path.to imports people’s personal data from whichever networking they currently use

What we didn’t like:

  • People are limited in the number of skills they can list on their profile pages
  • In order to sign up, new users must have a Facebook account

Alternatives:

Company Info:

  • Launched: August 2011
  • Privately Held
  • Headquarters: Jacksonville, Florida
  • Web site: http://path.to

Costs:

  • Free

Submit a Comment