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It is hard to argue for it to be another facebook when there is no im, no chat, no games, hardly any photos etc. Remember when facebook came out and some said it didn't have everything myspace had? Same thing. No clutter etc.
You move on. If myspace is for jr high, facebook for college then linkedin is for people with work.
What's wrong with email or phone? Not everyone can take phone calls or email. Remember email is not something that can always be deleted and calls give a list. Linkedin can be a rolodex and it links in (no pun intended) with smart phones. It's harder to manually do that otherwise.
Of course it is for hiring people why else would they charge for a HR version? Recruiters exist because not all employers can afford to take the time, money or energy to hire by themselves.
Of course its used as a recruiting tool but thats not the reason it exists. It bothers me that people complain they havent ever been contacted by a recruiter even though they have a Linkedin profile. Thats not the purpose of Linkedin. Its not a recruiting and job website, its main purpose is a networking tool. If you sign up to Linkedin for the sole purpose to be recruited, you are missing the entire purpose of why it exidts.
yes its a great tool for recruitment, but again its not why exists.
IMO, part of the reason why I network is to eventually get recruited, or end up with the connections to contact a recruiter. It's actually already happened for me, and I'd like to build a larger network so I can come in contact with other recruiters. I think what a lot of people mistakenly believe about LinkedIn is they don't need to put any additional effort into it. There is a level of legwork involved with networking, whether you use LinkedIn or not.
Of course its used as a recruiting tool but thats not the reason it exists. It bothers me that people complain they havent ever been contacted by a recruiter even though they have a Linkedin profile. Thats not the purpose of Linkedin. Its not a recruiting and job website, its main purpose is a networking tool. If you sign up to Linkedin for the sole purpose to be recruited, you are missing the entire purpose of why it exidts.
yes its a great tool for recruitment, but again its not why exists.
Actually, that was my point. It's supposed to be a networking site however my experience is that very few people understand the concept and use it to collect "friends/contacts" but for what purpose? Do they plan to chat with these folks and ....
1. Find out if they are a viable contact to help them get ahead at some point
2. Discover if this person is someone who may be a fit within their own organization
3. Open a dialogue to discuss work related topics and learn from each other
4. Etc....
I say most just don't understand the concept of networking. I try but I haven't had huge success. I also find it irritating when someone asks me for something yet can't manage a simple "thank you" when I answer their questions.
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I used it for introductions (A connection to introduce me to another person) to get informational interviews. One of those interviews led to an interview that led to my current job.
I also have just gotten interviews through posted jobs.
Actually, that was my point. It's supposed to be a networking site however my experience is that very few people understand the concept and use it to collect "friends/contacts" but for what purpose? Do they plan to chat with these folks and ....
1. Find out if they are a viable contact to help them get ahead at some point
2. Discover if this person is someone who may be a fit within their own organization
3. Open a dialogue to discuss work related topics and learn from each other
4. Etc....
I say most just don't understand the concept of networking. I try but I haven't had huge success. I also find it irritating when someone asks me for something yet can't manage a simple "thank you" when I answer their questions.
UC, do you have any pointers to share?
Of course more than happy to provide insights. Just for reference I work in Marketing.
Here are some ways I use it.
Knowledge - I connect with some of the biggest brands' employees (like Google, Apple, Microsoft, etc). I connect with people in similar roles. Once we connect they will post relevant articles on our industry and I will as well. The stuff these companies put out there is some of the most innovative content out there. They announce marketing/branding initiatives that are going on in their companies as well. If they make it to a Top 100 list of something you can bet they promote it on Linkedin. Knowledge is power.
Business - For example, I help out in strategizing the types of sponsors we should go after when have major events. What I do is connect with people who are in similar roles as me in those companies we are targeting. I build the relationship by sending them articles every once great in a while, liking their posts, congratulations on a promo etc. Then when it comes time for an event, I reach out to my contact and ask them who is the best person to reach in regards to the sponsorships. They are then more than happy to help and give me the direct contact information for the best person. Sometimes they introduce us to each other. That is one of many ways I use it for business.
Research - When trying to find a business that maybe we can collaborate advertise with I do research. I search for specific terms in regards to people. By finding people with those terms I also uncover a lot of companies that Google might not pick up in the first 10-20 pages of its results. I also can get a size, scope and type of work they execute just by looking at the type of employees they have.
Power Contacts - I am connected to two major people on my Linkedin (and yes their personal profiles): Mark Cuban and another person I rather not say. While I haven't built a good relationship with them, I am visible to them and anything my company does. So if something does come up where maybe I need to reach out to them for something or have an idea for them, it's just not some "stranger". No they don't know me personally but they see the posts I put up in regards to business on Linkedin and see I am involved both for my personal brand and my company's.
Job Search - For current job I have, when I applied in the job description it's says who I would report to. I used Linkedin to search for that person. But I couldn't connect because I needed her email. So I did some research, and found the email. Then I sent a connection request, and she accepted, this was all before we had to interview. It was a way for her to see me and for me to stand out. Also to show how I work. It showed her I am resourceful.
Job Offers - Connect with people in companies you would like to work with and build your brand online by posting relevant articles, liking their posts, joining in on their discussions. When they might need someone on their team to join them, you might just be one of the few they reach out to cause they already see that you have a passion, interest and knowledge for the industry.
There are plenty more ways, but that is how I use it!
But yes people have not idea how to use it. They think it's just for getting recruited. That works sometimes, but Linkedin is one of those things you really have to strategize about and put time into. The benefits are really good for your career.
The worst thing you can do is just go in and expect people to help you. You have to build those relationships as well. It's amazing what 10-15 minutes per day on Linkedin can do for your career and network.
Companies like LinkedIn and IndustryHuddle help people find jobs via listings and are great for facilitating low barriers of entry to hiring managers, headhunters, etc.
I found my current job via LinkedIn and it was a smooth, simple process. The standardized form many employers use on there is handy, too.
Of course more than happy to provide insights. Just for reference I work in Marketing.
Here are some ways I use it.
Knowledge - I connect with some of the biggest brands' employees (like Google, Apple, Microsoft, etc). I connect with people in similar roles. Once we connect they will post relevant articles on our industry and I will as well. The stuff these companies put out there is some of the most innovative content out there. They announce marketing/branding initiatives that are going on in their companies as well. If they make it to a Top 100 list of something you can bet they promote it on Linkedin. Knowledge is power.
Business - For example, I help out in strategizing the types of sponsors we should go after when have major events. What I do is connect with people who are in similar roles as me in those companies we are targeting. I build the relationship by sending them articles every once great in a while, liking their posts, congratulations on a promo etc. Then when it comes time for an event, I reach out to my contact and ask them who is the best person to reach in regards to the sponsorships. They are then more than happy to help and give me the direct contact information for the best person. Sometimes they introduce us to each other. That is one of many ways I use it for business.
Research - When trying to find a business that maybe we can collaborate advertise with I do research. I search for specific terms in regards to people. By finding people with those terms I also uncover a lot of companies that Google might not pick up in the first 10-20 pages of its results. I also can get a size, scope and type of work they execute just by looking at the type of employees they have.
Power Contacts - I am connected to two major people on my Linkedin (and yes their personal profiles): Mark Cuban and another person I rather not say. While I haven't built a good relationship with them, I am visible to them and anything my company does. So if something does come up where maybe I need to reach out to them for something or have an idea for them, it's just not some "stranger". No they don't know me personally but they see the posts I put up in regards to business on Linkedin and see I am involved both for my personal brand and my company's.
Job Search - For current job I have, when I applied in the job description it's says who I would report to. I used Linkedin to search for that person. But I couldn't connect because I needed her email. So I did some research, and found the email. Then I sent a connection request, and she accepted, this was all before we had to interview. It was a way for her to see me and for me to stand out. Also to show how I work. It showed her I am resourceful.
Job Offers - Connect with people in companies you would like to work with and build your brand online by posting relevant articles, liking their posts, joining in on their discussions. When they might need someone on their team to join them, you might just be one of the few they reach out to cause they already see that you have a passion, interest and knowledge for the industry.
There are plenty more ways, but that is how I use it!
But yes people have not idea how to use it. They think it's just for getting recruited. That works sometimes, but Linkedin is one of those things you really have to strategize about and put time into. The benefits are really good for your career.
The worst thing you can do is just go in and expect people to help you. You have to build those relationships as well. It's amazing what 10-15 minutes per day on Linkedin can do for your career and network.
Excellent advice!!! Thank you for sharing it.
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