LinkedIn

[Stewie]

LinkedIn is ubiquitous.

I use it to connect with co-workers, former co-workers and friends that have an interest in life/work/business.

How do you use it?

Do you get a benefit? Job opportunities? A connection to others?

Just curious.

[DaFace]

I use it quite a bit, but not so much in the "status update" way that Facebook works. I mostly use it to learn about the clients I'm working with and staying in touch with them over time as jobs change. It's nice to be able to see connections in common with people both for contacts (to see what mutual acquaintances you might have) and for others you want to meet (to see who might be able to introduce you).

I also participate in a couple discussion groups related to some of the software programs we use at my job.

In general, it's a nice platform if you frequently work with outside clients or vendors, and it's great for job hunting. If you aren't doing any of those, it's probably not very useful.

[DaKCMan AP]

Grow my professional network. Sometimes get contacted by recruiters.

[chiefzilla1501]

Quick tip that I learned...
If you're not getting looks from recruiters, you don't have it set up right. Consider a resume writing service. I had a linkedin profile that was just like my resume. Few years later, hired a resume writing service. You wouldnt' believe the difference.

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by mikeyis4dcats.

yeah, seems very spammy these days..

this

[Simply Red]

I get ****ing invites practically daily - are these/those even legitimate? I wonder if they're even real, with how often I get them. Then is says 'so or so' is waiting on my response.

[Trivers]

You get what you put into it.

Whenever I talk to a new customer, first place I look to learn about them.

2865 contacts. I believe in open connections. I connect with everyone that seems legit.

Never hear from recruiters. I guess execs specializing in start-ups are not in demand.

Have had escort girls wanting to Link. There was news last month about an escort service being busted who found johns via LinkedIn.

[HonestChieffan]

Its Facebook for business.

[Mr_Tomahawk]

I'm on it.

Helps me keep track of who is moving where within my field.

I like it.

Got rid of Facebook a decade ago...THAT is worthless.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by HonestChieffan

Its Facebook for business.

I don't find it to be even remotely like Facebook.

[Mr_Tomahawk]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I don't find it to be even remotely like Facebook.

No shit.

[Dayze]

Helped me get my current job. A director I used to work for called me out of the blue 6 yrs later.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by underEJ

I have had several job offers from it. two of them cold contacts from head hunters that if I hadn't been in a contract at the time, I really would have jumped at. My industry is fairly nomadic, and it makes it easy to keep in contact with coworkers and recruiters without the concern of facebook familiarity. I enjoy the updates from contacts so I can keep up on trends like where the work is going.

That said, I spend no time working on my profile or networking beyond people I already know, and I don't accept connections of strangers without a direct connection to someone I know (especially students getting my name from websites or credit lists and trying to connect.) I think it might be even more actively useful if I participated more. There are very good groups that my colleagues have recommended to me, but I haven't followed any of them yet. Being an eleven years at one place and 7 at another type person (though there was some nomad in the middle when I job searched alot,) I don't find much call for it.

If everything falls apart in this country for my industry, I will surely be sprucing up that profile in a hurry!

When I first joined LinkedIn, I joined several industry groups. What I found is that they were completely populated by people that *wanted* to be in the industry, not professionals discussing their work. I finally dumped all of those groups (and the constant emails that notified of each dopey post).

This thread is a great reminder that I need to update my resume and home page. I get tons of "views" and plenty of network requests, but I haven't updated it in probably two years.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I don't find it to be even remotely like Facebook.

I think it can be to a point if you want it to be, but the focus is completely different. Technically it does have "status updates" and things like that, but most people I know don't use it that way. And those who do don't post random bullshit - it's always relevant to their work.

[Setsuna]

I have it even though I'm unemployed.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I think it can be to a point if you want it to be, but the focus is completely different. Technically it does have "status updates" and things like that, but most people I know don't use it that way. And those who do don't post random bullshit - it's always relevant to their work.

Fortunately, I haven't seen it used by any of my hundreds of contacts like Facebook is used.

There are only so many ex-high school classmates/bored housewives status updates I can deal with per day.