Many individuals make a LinkedIn account, but proceed to neglect it for “more important” ways to spend their time.  They may not view it as a valuable resource, or have forgotten about it.  However, LinkedIn can be a very beneficialnetworking resource that should not be overlooked.  Your online presence is becoming more and more important as technology advances, and an individual with a bare-bones LinkedIn account will not seem like they are “keeping up with the times.” 
It is common knowledge that LinkedIn is a recruiter’s best friend.  In regards to this, you may be missing out on valuable job opportunities due to your abandoned LinkedIn profile.  Even if you are not currently looking, you never know if a recruiter was working on your dream job and passed your LinkedInprofile by due to lack of information and activity.  It cannot hurt to take one evening to parse your resume, add to your skills section, and ask for a couple recommendations to make your profile seem more intriguing. 
In addition to being a great networking tool, LinkedIn has a “LinkedIn Today” section on your home page that highlights the trending articles in a respective area.  If you are in marketing, for example, you can see and read the top articles people in your industry are reading on a given day.  This is a great way to stay a-top of the news relevant to your specific industry throughout the day.  In addition, you can share articles through your updates to your connections.  Being the person to pass along a well-written, insightful article can help build your credibility without much effort on your part.
Embrace the wonderful networking tool that LinkedIn is, and take full advantage of it.  It can only help!