LinkedIn?

I found my current job through Linkedin. I have a pretty specific skill set, so I am lucky in that regard.

I'm planning on updating my profile with some recent work and projects I've completed. You never know when opportunity is going to come knocking.

Rusted_Busted_Spit wrote: I use it just to keep up with people I have worked with in the past, you never know when it will come in handy.

This keeps being brought up.

So you don't have any e-mails or phone numbers of your previous co-workers? If it's that important, shouldn't you put some effort into it?

Some of my previous co-workers consult and when they update, it provides me with some insight on were I may be needed next.

Linkedin gives me a quick view of that.

Strike_Zero wrote: Some of my previous co-workers consult and when they update, it provides me with some insight on were I may be needed next. Linkedin gives me a quick view of that.

So your future is based on your previous co-workers who now consult putting information on a web page.

They won't e-mail you what you need to know? Or you won't e-mail them asking?

We get it, it's not for you, don't use it.

But, do you really need to keep being condescending about it in this thread?

alfatroll wrote: This keeps being brought up. So you don't have any e-mails or phone numbers of your previous co-workers? If it's that important, shouldn't you put some effort into it?

Personally, I do use LinkedIn to keep track of colleagues and former coworkers. People move from job to job and people change emails. I guess we don't all write or exchange our personal contact info.

Real example: A friend from back in the day recently left the auto industry for a different one. I found out through a LinkedIn update. When I saw his post I dropped him an email, and it was nice to catch up. I don't fault him for not sending me a personal note. We're busy and we have lives. Plus, we're dudes.

I also use LinkedIn to make connections. Let's say I want to talk to someone at Company X but don't know anyone there. I'll surf LinkedIn to find a connection who can make the introduction. That seems to work better than cold calling.

Anyone remember the beautiful two-page spread that we ran of Charles Espenlaub's car burning at Thunderhill? That came about through LinkedIn. I found the photographer's name online but couldn't find any contact info. So I searched LinkedIn. Turns out a friend of mine knew one of his contacts. Long story short, I had the high-rez version of that photo plus permission to use it within the hour. (And since the guy wasn't a pro photographer, he didn't have a site promoting his photo work.)

LinkedIn was also handy during our recent hiring process. A few friends in the biz sent the names of possible candidates our way. LinkedIn became a quickie online resume of sorts.

I don't think anyone should be compelled to use LinkedIn, but like any tool you make of it what you want. I spend a few minutes each week on it, and so far it has paid off.

z31maniac wrote: We get it, it's not for you, don't use it. But, do you really need to keep being condescending about it in this thread?

Besdes ignoring my own advice...

linked is a lot like FB. I get e-mails from it without either the requestor or myself asking for the e-mails to join. So it gets to be a a problem without even using it.

The #1 reason I hear FB and this as a benefit is "keep in touch"- forgive me for asking is that's a reality or not.

But at least I can not worry about it anymore.

alfadriver wrote:

Rusted_Busted_Spit wrote: I use it just to keep up with people I have worked with in the past, you never know when it will come in handy.

This keeps being brought up. So you don't have any e-mails or phone numbers of your previous co-workers? If it's that important, shouldn't you put some effort into it?

Yeah, people put in some effort you lazy slackers.

People never get new phone numbers and forget to update you, or move on to a new job with a new company and forget to give you the new email addy, or , or ,or

I'm sure there are many situations where you had someone's previous contact info that is no longer current.

alfadriver wrote:

Strike_Zero wrote: Some of my previous co-workers consult and when they update, it provides me with some insight on were I may be needed next. Linkedin gives me a quick view of that.

So your future is based on your previous co-workers who now consult putting information on a web page. They won't e-mail you what you need to know? Or you won't e-mail them asking?

Not at all . . . my future is based on the "possibility" of known and unknown opportunities for me to look for. LinkedIn is tool to help me change those unknown opportunities to known.

Sorta like this board, email, an impact gun . . . well you get the idea. Some of us like to use a hammer to drive a nail, others use a screw driver handle . . . both will work but one makes it easier.

Strike_Zero, I like that.

Here's a PS to that statement: It's not who you know, it's who I know.

In other words, the more people I know, the more I can do and accomplish.

I use it as a digital rolodex that follows me if I leave a company. People move around so much, it's useful to know where someone went and how they like their new job if I'm looking at the same company.

Yeah, and LinkedIn gives me access to who YOU know.

I have expanded my contact network through LinkedIn in ways that I definitely could not through email.

alfa, I will agree with you that the quality of those contacts is not very good. I'd much rather real life flesh and blood contacts.

But they are still an important part of my business network. Perhaps they only represent 2%, perhaps 10%. But that is 2% or 10% I wouldn't otherwise have.

Some businesses survive on profit margins that are less than 2%.

Brotus7 wrote: I use it as a digital rolodex that follows me if I leave a company. People move around so much, it's useful to know where someone went and how they like their new job if I'm looking at the same company.

Good point.

The average length of employment is now only 3 years. I know you've worked longer than that, Alfa, where you are, and that your contacts are much more solid than that.

But if the average length of employment is now only 3 years, that means that theoretically 1/3 of the people I know might be somewhere different next year. I like working with a lot of them, and respect them. I don't always work with all of them in a given year. So, unless they are very diligent about letting me know when there has been a change (and they are not), I will loose contact with them.

LinkedIn lets me know.