15 to Watch (Corporate/Nonprofit): Krista Canfield

PR Manager, LinkedIn Age: 27

Krista Canfield personifies LinkedIn’s mission to connect the world’s professionals and enable them to be more productive and successful. Canfield developed and implemented a program that identifies LinkedIn success stories—professionals who have used LinkedIn to further their careers. Her expertise in pitching these stories have resulted in numerous placements in publications such as BusinessWeek, U.S. News & World Report and the Los Angeles Times. Canfield, based in Mountain View, Calif., also ably serves as LinkedIn’s broadcast spokesperson in the guise of a career expert, appearing on major broadcast outlets.

Showcasing Stories

“It’s great to showcase how members started a new business because of our Answers forum, got a job through a status update or won a new client because of a search they did on LinkedIn,” Canfield says. “Those stories help us add faces to our brand while also giving other professionals blueprints they can use to accelerate their own careers through our site.”

Linked Globally

“I’m constantly learning and meeting new connections. I work with journalists around the world, which is fascinating for me as a former reporter. I’ve also had the opportunity to chat with small business owners in China, universities in Australia, investment bankers in India and other professionals across the globe.”

Putting on the Brakes

“Setting aside time to think about the future and what proactive campaigns will benefit us in the long run is a challenge. But I’ve come to realize that it is crucial to hit the pause button, even when things get hectic, so you can reassess the situation and ponder potential detours.” ■

December 7, 2009