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Missing Link(edIn)
I just don’t get LinkedIn. I must be missing a link or something. For the record, I know it’s me because there are over 39 million people on LinkedIn, so the company must be doing something people value. I think maybe it has to do with how I’m wired. In a million years, I would never use someone to get to someone else. It goes against who I am. I am happy to make an introduction for someone I respect and/or care about, but I would never leverage an impersonal third party, like LinkedIn, to do so.
I don’t value people based on their title, where they have worked or where they have gone to school…and let me be unequivocally clear, I’m not saying people who use LinkedIn do. I’m just trying to wrap my arms around the attraction people have for it. I value people for who they are as human beings. Maybe that’s why I like Facebook. I am much more interested in hearing that someone joined a group to feed hungry children than to hear that they joined some professional group. I am much more excited to be on the receiving end of a tweet about something funny that happened to someone on vacation than I am to see a LinkedIn status update about a business trip. I get jacked spending time on Facebook and Twitter and I would feel anything LinkedIn-related would be obligatory and a little dull. Don’t get me wrong, Facebook can still be a powerful business tool to connect you to other professionals — the thing about Facebook is that it’s multi-dimensional and you can get to know someone beyond their business world.
Like most peeps, I barely have time to scratch my ass these days, so I choose my activities carefully. Honestly, I don’t do much outside my work window that is work-related. I have never attended on social networking event here in Boston. I just don’t have the time and quite frankly, I’m just not interested. I would rather be home having dinner (take-out) with my kids.
What am I missing?
May 4th, 2009 at 8:36 am
My last two jobs have happened because my background was found on LinkedIn (either by a recruiter or senior management), so I will be a fan for some time. It’s not a panecea though…it is just another forum to be active in and to use to get in front of certain people. I view it simply as a database to help me understand links within my personal network - and then build relationships from what I discover.
May 4th, 2009 at 8:53 am
laura, thanks for your insight. i know some peeps love it. a friend who is a recruiter says it is the most important tool in his field. i just don’t feel any need. the good news for linkedin is that 39 million people feel otherwise.
May 4th, 2009 at 9:11 am
Hey Kel, didn’t you get the memo? The Facebook vs LinkedIn debate is dead as disco.
Facebook has triple the users, an open platform and a position in the culture. (Business model? Why would they need that?) LinkedIn is a niche player, but as Laura points out, it’s a niche that some people find useful. In defense of LI, I have found some good discussion on their forums, and I have hired good peeps there. Of course, the same can be said of Craigslist.
I think smart social media peeps will take the Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom approach and use syndication to pipe their content into every dark corner of the net. Try using Ping.FM to push your FB status or Tweets into LinkedIn and the LinkedIn blog applet to add your blog entries to your profile. That way those who insist on living only on LinkedIn can enjoy your brilliance too.
May 4th, 2009 at 9:14 am
I’m a big linked in fan.
You say, “I am happy to make an introduction for someone I respect and/or care about, but I would never leverage an impersonal third party, like LinkedIn, to do so.” I’m happy to introduce friends as well, but I don’t always realize they’re attempting to connect with someone I know.
I’ve recommended LinkedIn’s “Jobs insider” application to my job searching friends and use it myself. With the skyrocketing amount of applications posted jobs are receiving, it’s more important than ever to find a way to stand out. If LinkedIn shows me that cousin Susie went is connected to Jane Doe hiring manager at a dream company, I’ve found a connection that I may not have realized existed without LinkedIn’s help. I can then e-mail Susie to find out how she knows the contact and ask for an introduction.
It also feels good to be able to connect job searching friends with contacts that may be able to aid them with their searches.
May 4th, 2009 at 9:30 am
limeduck, what…disco is dead?! damn, i didn’t get that memo either! all kidding aside, i appreciate your perspective. i was hoping this thread would generate exactly that. peace out.
May 4th, 2009 at 9:35 am
danielle, i totally get what you’re saying. it’s great insight for me. i understand your excitement for helping a friend with a job search. in this economy, there are few things more rewarding. thanks so much for taking the time to comment.
May 4th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Work benefits aside (which I do believe there are), I’m convinced that part of LinkedIn’s allure is ego. Whether it has business value or not, some people can’t resist the ability to say they have 500+ connections. Not that this gets you anything when you’re having take out dinner with the kids but to some it matters.
May 4th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
jon, i’m so glad you brought up that point and i totally agree. whether it’s twitter followers or linkedin connections, i think many draw some of their self-esteem off the numbers. won’t people ever figure out that size doesn’t matter — it’s what you do with it. haha!
May 5th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Kel, Yet another open and provocative blog. Good for your for finding your lane to drive and driving it to the basket. I personally don’t feel the difference between friending someone and linking or following them. It makes no sense to me that people tout that they have 5000 friends, that is ridiculous. For me, LinkedIn is an equal tool to FB and Twitter. They function differently, but their goals and intent are the same–to connect people in real time, to share pertinent information, and to expand your own network of like minded peeps. OK, that is good. Joining and participating in only the groups that make sense for you (however you define making sense) is the beauty of 2.0. I do go to networking meetings and have been opened to new people, current thinking on my expertise by other experts, and reconnecting with people I don’t see often enough. What is good for me, is just that. What I admire most about you is that you stay consistent with your beliefs. Rock on, sistah!
May 5th, 2009 at 11:39 am
larry, as always i appreciate you sharing your thoughts. i agree that tailoring your web 2.0 experience is one of the great things about today’s web. i respect that what is good for others may not be a fit for me and vice versa. i always like to sniff around though if 39 million people are enjoying something i am not — just in case i may be missing something. haha!
May 5th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Kel,
I’d like to also propose that the intended audience of these sites be considered. Generally we could say that the demographics of a Facebook & Twitter user are much younger than those of most (not all mind you) LinkedIn users.
If you were to compare just 2 of these sites ; say Facebook and LinkedIn you could easily see the target demographic that each site was going for just based on there INITIAL designs. For example:
1)Facebook – honestly took a page out of Napster & AIM books when it came to the “sharing concept” , but instead of music this time it was everything you could possibly imagine. Facebook allowed you to build your own system of people you knew friends, acquaintances, co-workers and share anything you wished ; photos, feelings, warnings, you name it- all almost instantaneously; thanks to a constant RSS feed. You could alert anyone you knew of anything at any time. And if there wasn’t an application for what you needed ; no worries you could build it yourself and post it to show everyone. This feature alone ensured the continual growth of Facebook ; for it made the user a part of the growing/ learning process.
A.This design (or corporate strategy) endeared itself to the tech savvy, innovative, to adventurers and travelers. On the whole, when you looked at this group the demographic was overwhelmingly young ; and all could be considered to have the early adopter mentality. But there loyalty was unquestioned. They went back to their homes over breaks and summers and introduced siblings and parents to the site. And thanks to the feedback of those users Facebook grew and still maintained it’s usual ease of use (thought not it’s original layout.)
2)Linked In’s initial platform mimicked many commonly used job search engines (similar to Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com) Using these as a reference for their user interface they instantly gave the use are sense of ease when navigating their system, as they most likely all ready had experiences similar to this. They then took the social networking success from myspace and facebook (which both debuted on college campuses) and incorporated it into their site in many of the ways listed above : internal job postings, visible professional references on your profile, etc…
A.This design (basically that of a job search engine) limited it’s audience from the get go. By limiting it to strictly professional networking they instantly cut out the college aged demographic- or to look at it another way the workforce of the future/ early facebook adopters. Specifically they lost a huge opportunity for work of mouth advertising .
B.While LinkedIn has changed overtime and now encourages professional forums and college alumni associations initially it didn’t have a place for user feedback; which is invaluable in todays world. ( What CEO would say no to FREE customer feedback?)
Now given these ideas it’s easy to see why you aren’t liking LinkedIn. Simply put Kel , even though I have never met you , everyone knows you’re an early adopter . Whether it be to technology, advertising, public relations or marketing. Therefore it is not surprising that you wouldn’t like LinkedIn (which may come off as the electronic equivalent of an old boys club sometimes.) There is no challenge to it, limited change, and no real driving content. Nothing there to stimulate of satisfy.
Therefore let me entreat you to come back and play with us “kiddies” on Facebook. It’s much more fun; plus we have cookies!
May 6th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Kel, I love your blog! I’m a “Long-time listener, First-time caller”.
For the regular person out there, (the not-so-very-tech-savvy, but trying hard), the world of Web 2.0/social networking can be fairly daunting and oh so time consuming. There seem to be “a million” sites/services out there and my constant question is where to focus, or, can you focus? Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace, Classmates, ecademy, Fastpitch, Konnects, Spoke, Ryze, Zing, Ning, Plaxo, etc., etc. Where does it end?
I suppose that all hold value for those who use them, ala different strokes for different folks.
It would great if there was an app that was a “one-stop-shop”, it may exist, I just don’t know about it, yet. Let me know if you do.
May 6th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
christina, your insight is fantastic! thanks for sharing it with me and the readers of this blog. i’m sure everyone appreciates your perspective. i must say that i laughed when i read your analogy of linkedin being “the electronic equivalent of an old boys club.” if taglines were fully transparent, this would be a great one for them. haha! btw, i love cookies!
May 6th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
mike, you are what is known as a lurker in the blogosphere — someone who reads but rarely posts. i’m happy you’ve come out from under your rock. to answer your first question — it will never end! web 2.0 may be relabeled with some new term, but user-generated content, aggregating the wisdom of crowds, service above a single device, etc. is here to stay and will only get stronger as time goes on. i am a big believer in “less is more” and it’s better to find the stuff that works for you. there are peeps out there who want to strut their stuff on every web 2.0 platform and service on the planet. blah. it’s impossible to need and/or leverage everything. it usually ends up being another point for these people to draw self-esteem. i suggest you dabble and find the stuff that you love and enhances your world. as you can imagine, linkedin didn’t make that short list for me.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Kel — I enjoyed this post in that I, too, have not found a value to me or my business/life in LinkedIn. I enjoy the conversation of Twitter and the personal connections/interactions of Facebook, but LinkedIn lacks that interactivity the others offer. Perhaps it is that I have always focused on relationships and picking up the phone to make an introduction or ask for one is second nature. I much prefer a call or email from a trusted pal asking me to meet with or help someone than an electronic “recommendation”. LinkedIn seems best suited to those with less intuitive social skills and who haven’t built up their personal database/”rolodex” over time. Anyway — I enjoy you blog from time to time. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insights.
May 12th, 2009 at 10:36 am
wendy, thanks for the comment. it sounds like we think alike. there is something interesting about people embracing twitter and facebook yet rejecting linkedin. all are social media-based, yet linkedin misses the mark in a way that sometimes leave them out of the reindeer games.
June 8th, 2009 at 8:47 am
In running my own business I don’t use LinkedIn much but I have heard of many getting jobs because of LinkedIn. I find the interface kind of confusing and don’t really see how it can help a business owner since you would have to be on there non-stop to make enough noise and connections but then you probably have a crappy business since you spend all of your time on LinkedIn.
June 8th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
brennan, i totally hear ‘ya. it’s funny though. as you heard from this thread, many peeps find it incredibly valuable. go figure.