Comments on: People Are Really Using LinkedIn Differently Than Other Social Media Sites!

By: Steven Holden

Steven Holden — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:48:50 +0000

I should qualify that last….LinkedIn’s response and the response of the “if I don’t know you, go away” folks.

By: Steven Holden

Steven Holden — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:45:04 +0000

You know, this all sounds just a little too snarky for me. I connect with people that I only knew on the phone (granted, for 7 years) or students with whom I only had 20 months contact. My purpose to be there was to connect *others* to each other. I was in recruiting, and at this stage in the game, I would think any connection, initiated in earnest, is important and we could operate on a level of maturity that allows us to try to introduce ourselves to new people…even if only connected in the most oblique way. Speaking (again) as someone who worked with students trying to secure interviews and gain employment, I think it paramount to encourage them to try new things. THOSE are the people who make impressions, get in the door, get the job and do new things for companies. Otherwise, the whole thing just smacks of encouraging cronyism and nepotism. Sorry, my blunt two cents.

By: Roya

Roya — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:51:41 +0000

Here is a link to LinkedIn’s answer to “What is LinkedIn?”
It does a better job than I did in explaining what the network is used for.
http://www.linkedin.com/static?key=what_is_linkedin&trk=hb_what

By: Roya

Roya — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:48:14 +0000

LinkedIn is not a “Social” networking site. It is for professional connection between those who have worked with each other in the past or some how professionally have met face to face (on the ground connection) and know each other. Even if someone has worked at the same company that I have worked at but don’t personally know them, I neither ask to be connected or accept their connection. If someone does, I do not consider it inappropriate or rude of them, they just don’t know the sprit of the site. It would be better if the notice you received from LinkedIn would explain the sprit and the reason’s why.
LinkedIN connections are made through personal/professional face-to-face connections people have either directly or through someone they both know personally.

By: Jen

Jen — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:25:54 +0000

I use LinkedIn exclusively for my professional connections. It has been a great tool to find vendors, inquire about companies, connect with past colleagues, gather information, etc.
However, I was taken aback when candidates for a recent job that I had listed found me on LinkedIn and sent me generic invitations to connect. Both were unqualified for the position and I had no reason or desire to link with them. Using the service to find a referral is exactly what the site is intended for — but to ask to permanently link to someone you sent a resume to seemed inappropriate.

By: Julia Martin

Julia Martin — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:05:23 +0000

I am having no success at downloading this white paper pdf. The page linked above has a fairly obvious link, but that link apparently does nothing — I can’t save a file, no pdf appears in a browser, nothing.

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Bailey Button Ugg Boots — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:56:50 +0000

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By: Elaine Fogel

Elaine Fogel — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:25:02 +0000

Thanks, Neal. Glad you liked it. Are you linking to people you don’t know personally?

By: Neal Schaffer

Neal Schaffer — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:04:33 +0000

Excellent post, and thanks for adding to our understanding of LinkedIn with your excellent social media whitepaper. I think success on LinkedIn comes down to the same as on any other social networking site: without being social and truly contributing, you will make no friends and secure no business. Plain and simple to me.
- Neal

By: Elaine Fogel

Elaine Fogel — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:02:07 +0000

Thanks, Paul. I purposefully offered the WP without registration because I figure that if someone wants to receive my company’s monthly newsletters, the link is easily available. That way, only really interested people will sign up.
@Strategic Growth Advisors: Thanks – glad you’re finding it valuable.
@Gianandrea: I agree 100% – why not accept an invitation from someone in our profession or with a similar background? I don’t have to recommend that person for a job. Get real.

By: gianandrea facchini

gianandrea facchini — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:15:59 +0000

I love boot answers…
Just kidding.
I used Linkedin for some marketing activities, such as back in touch, sharing of information about my company, and results were rather good.
Still I agree that we should be ready for more openness when somebody we may not know is asking to get in touch.
Well, if it is not a clear commercial message, why do not accept invitation to connect? If I accept only people I already know, the term social seems rather overrated.

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By: Strategic Growth Advisors

Strategic Growth Advisors — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:40:25 +0000

Elaine, thanks for putting this together.
This is one great tool to expand our understanding with regard social media platforms, the effects of the same, effectively establishing “digital” relationships, as well as knowing how to build trust online.

By: Paul Barsch

Paul Barsch — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:57:04 +0000

What a great compilation of qualitative data! I love that you made the WP available without registration. Thanks for putting this together, I think this will prove to be good fodder for future discussions on how/why to use social media platforms.

By: Elaine Fogel

Elaine Fogel — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:25:42 +0000

Thanks to Alejandro Reyes for tweeting the link to this post!