Linkedin.com - Professional Networking (1 Viewer)

[Otis]

Every professional should be on Linkedin. There's no downside to it. Set it and forget it. Or, if you want to get more out of it, share some stories pertinent to your industry, and participate. Connect to as many people as you can -- alum of your college/professional school, or high school for that matter, people at your company and companies you've worked with, etc. It hasn't resulted directly in me getting work -- yet -- but it has resulted in me making and receiving oddball contacts and requests to hook one contact up to another. Those kinds of contacts and favors are what I hope will eventually net something for me too.

 

[fantasycurse42]

Do you guys pay for the extra service or do you just use the free stuff?

If you pay, what benefits are there to doing that?

Gargantuan waste of money to pay, unless you are a recruiter.

I pay bc it lands on my expense report. I used to expense the expensive plan for like $100 a month, then I downgraded to $60, now I do $20. Company would pay for the $100 plan without even noticing, but I just felt like it was stupid to even have.

The only thing the plans above $20 give you are the ability to send "inmails" - They don't even roll over if you don't use them. The $20 lets you see who has viewed your profile even if it is set to private. I wouldn't pay for it out of my own pocket, not really worth $250 a year IMO.

 

[Cjw_55106]

If you were looking for a job, is it now normal to look up the person that will be interviewing you?

 

[Koya]

If you were looking for a job, is it now normal to look up the person that will be interviewing you?

Don't see why not. I would think that a positive if I noticed.

 

[fantasycurse42]

If you were looking for a job, is it now normal to look up the person that will be interviewing you?

Yes... Not only to see their background, but possibly to see if you know some of the same people.

 

[El Floppo]

If you were looking for a job, is it now normal to look up the person that will be interviewing you?

Yes... Not only to see their background, but possibly to see if you know some of the same people.

they can tell that you've looked at their info though, right? not weird? I'm out of touch with all of this (as can be told by my post on the first page of this thread).

 

[Baloney Sandwich]

If you were looking for a job, is it now normal to look up the person that will be interviewing you?

Yes... Not only to see their background, but possibly to see if you know some of the same people.

they can tell that you've looked at their info though, right? not weird? I'm out of touch with all of this (as can be told by my post on the first page of this thread).

it all depends on your privacy settings

 

[fantasycurse42]

If you were looking for a job, is it now normal to look up the person that will be interviewing you?

Yes... Not only to see their background, but possibly to see if you know some of the same people.

they can tell that you've looked at their info though, right? not weird? I'm out of touch with all of this (as can be told by my post on the first page of this thread).

I'm a paid member, so I can see who has viewed me while remaining anonymous when viewing profiles. If you don't pay, then you either lose the ability to see who has viewed you, or you have to remain public when viewing other profiles. Kind of how they steal $21.66 from their paid members on a monthly basis.

 

[Cjw_55106]

Thanks. Wasnt sure if that was weird or not. Not sure why it would be I guess, but one never knows.

 

[Ignoramus]

If you were looking for a job, is it now normal to look up the person that will be interviewing you?

Yes... Not only to see their background, but possibly to see if you know some of the same people.

they can tell that you've looked at their info though, right? not weird? I'm out of touch with all of this (as can be told by my post on the first page of this thread).

Not weird at all to look.

 

[sbonomo]

If you were looking for a job, is it now normal to look up the person that will be interviewing you?

I had a college kid do this when i was interviewing him. I will have to say, i was impressed.

 

[El Floppo]

If you were looking for a job, is it now normal to look up the person that will be interviewing you?

Yes... Not only to see their background, but possibly to see if you know some of the same people.

they can tell that you've looked at their info though, right? not weird? I'm out of touch with all of this (as can be told by my post on the first page of this thread).

I'm a paid member, so I can see who has viewed me while remaining anonymous when viewing profiles. If you don't pay, then you either lose the ability to see who has viewed you, or you have to remain public when viewing other profiles. Kind of how they steal $21.66 from their paid members on a monthly basis.

ah. thanks. I'm pretty sure I can see who's viewed me, but can't anonymously view others. (as a free member)

 

[El Floppo]

If you were looking for a job, is it now normal to look up the person that will be interviewing you?

Yes... Not only to see their background, but possibly to see if you know some of the same people.

they can tell that you've looked at their info though, right? not weird? I'm out of touch with all of this (as can be told by my post on the first page of this thread).

Not weird at all to look.

what if I'm touching myself while I look- weird?

 

[Ignoramus]

If you were looking for a job, is it now normal to look up the person that will be interviewing you?

Yes... Not only to see their background, but possibly to see if you know some of the same people.

they can tell that you've looked at their info though, right? not weird? I'm out of touch with all of this (as can be told by my post on the first page of this thread).

Not weird at all to look.

what if I'm touching myself while I look- weird?

It would be weird if you weren't touching yourself.

 

[snore]

If you were looking for a job, is it now normal to look up the person that will be interviewing you?

I had a college kid do this when i was interviewing him. I will have to say, i was impressed.

I have had people I am interviewing request to connect with me prior to said interview. Thats a little aggressive for my tastes and needless to say didnt help the candidate. But yes, it is commonplace to do so. One of the sr receuiters at work stated that she expected people to look you up and it showed due diligence and motivation.

 

[Brony]

I will sometimes look up someone that I only work with via phone or email to see their picture. For the females, I'm disappointed 9 out of 10 times and usually the 10th case is a picture from 15 years ago.

 

[shuke]

If you were looking for a job, is it now normal to look up the person that will be interviewing you?

Absolutely

 

[Chadstroma]

I don't look them up before hand but I do after. If I liked them in the interview then I will send a connection request.

It actually may have paid off big for me recently.

I have been looking for a new job. I posted a short "looking for new opportunities" message in Linkedin. Someone that I had interviewed with for a position back about 5-6 years ago reached out to me. I had a good interview with her but did not get the job. I have had no contact with her since then. She sent me a message letting me know that she was looking for someone for a new position at her new organization. I already interviewed for the position. It is a pretty good gig and I am hopeful I get it (she did tell me at the interview for the new job that she liked me from the previous interview but they went with an internal applicant instead).

 

[bentley]

One great use I find of LinkedIn is if I'm at a reception or networking event and run into somebody I kinda know but can't place. I can usually excuse myself to the bar or bathroom and then find them on LinkedIn before reentering the conversation and not looking like a jackass.

 

[dickey moe]

One great use I find of LinkedIn is if I'm at a reception or networking event and run into somebody I kinda know but can't place. I can usually excuse myself to the bar or bathroom and then find them on LinkedIn before reentering the conversation and not looking like a jackass.

Good point

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

You guys pay for the professional version? How much is that and what is the point?

I had a job candidate message me on LinkedIn prior to granting him an interview. I appreciated the effort, but I did not reply because I thought it was inappropriate for me to do so. HR was to contact him. We did hire him

 

[fantasycurse42]

You guys pay for the professional version? How much is that and what is the point?

I had a job candidate message me on LinkedIn prior to granting him an interview. I appreciated the effort, but I did not reply because I thought it was inappropriate for me to do so. HR was to contact him. We did hire him

$21.66 is the bottom tier... You get to see who has viewed your profile without anyone knowing you viewed theirs. Completely not worth it, but my company pays for it, so whatever.

I had the $100 tier, all you get is the ability to email like 20 people a month or something like that IIRC. Also completely worthless.

 

[belljr]

I didn't know this was still being used.

 

[Abraham]

I use it for lead gen all the time.

 

[Koya]

I remember a thread (this one?) about how many connections one had, a few years back.

Looking at my page today, almost at 1,300.  Back then I was under 500.  Crazy.

Now, if only it was worth something.  

 

[Chadstroma]

I remember a thread (this one?) about how many connections one had, a few years back.

Looking at my page today, almost at 1,300.  Back then I was under 500.  Crazy.

Now, if only it was worth something.  

I have kept it mostly to people I directly know or have dealt with in business. I have got some use out of it... there was a job opportunity that I would not have had the chance at without it (ended up not getting it but still). I am filling a spot on my team with a contact there that I otherwise would not have thought to ask to have joined- I didnt think of her because of her current position and I thought she lived further away. She sent me a congrats for my new position and I responded letting her know that I had an opening and she jumped on it. Kept in contact with some customers that I will be able to sell to again when I am at my new company. And more. I think you get what you put into it. If you just add people to your network then the biggest thing you will have is how many connections you have. If you consistently work it then I think there is value there. 

 

[Koya]

I have kept it mostly to people I directly know or have dealt with in business. I have got some use out of it... there was a job opportunity that I would not have had the chance at without it (ended up not getting it but still). I am filling a spot on my team with a contact there that I otherwise would not have thought to ask to have joined- I didnt think of her because of her current position and I thought she lived further away. She sent me a congrats for my new position and I responded letting her know that I had an opening and she jumped on it. Kept in contact with some customers that I will be able to sell to again when I am at my new company. And more. I think you get what you put into it. If you just add people to your network then the biggest thing you will have is how many connections you have. If you consistently work it then I think there is value there. 

I was being a bit faceitous. It has kept me in the loop of a number of friends, associated and networks.  And to your point, it's what you put into it.

When I focused on posting more, some articles written by me, some by others, I definitely received some benefit.  Which reminds me, I should look to do so again!

 

[Koya]

I'd also suggest that there are any number of benefits that you can not easily (if at all) be certain to have occurred.  Any number of people have viewed my profile - potential business partners, associates, reporters, potential clients.  In that way, it's an online resume that can lead to folks reaching out to you, engaging, hiring... who knows.

To that end, I have anecdotal evidence that my profile has been a benefit to me, even if it's hard to substantiate with actual metrics. 

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

Also good to figure out who the F you are meeting with at conferences. 

 

[Chadstroma]

I'd also suggest that there are any number of benefits that you can not easily (if at all) be certain to have occurred.  Any number of people have viewed my profile - potential business partners, associates, reporters, potential clients.  In that way, it's an online resume that can lead to folks reaching out to you, engaging, hiring... who knows.

To that end, I have anecdotal evidence that my profile has been a benefit to me, even if it's hard to substantiate with actual metrics. 

I also had a comment from someone the other day that they were surprised I was leaving my old company because they saw me posting so much on Linkedin and it looked like I was happy. That taught me that more people see than you know and there is influence on that even if you get not likes or comments etc. So, I agree completely. 

 

[Tom Hagen]

Also good to figure out who the F you are meeting with at conferences. 

I read this as "figure out who you are going to F at conferences" which also seems like a good use of Linkedin. 

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

I read this as "figure out who you are going to F at conferences" which also seems like a good use of Linkedin. 

Even better. 

 

[Brony]

I read this as "figure out who you are going to F at conferences" which also seems like a good use of Linkedin. 

I read this as "you are going to Fat conferences"

 

[Johnny Rock]

I remember a thread (this one?) about how many connections one had, a few years back.

Looking at my page today, almost at 1,300.  Back then I was under 500.  Crazy.

Now, if only it was worth something.  

Connections are supposed to be people you actually know. Linking with every random person lessens the effectiveness of the site. 

 

[Koya]

FWIW, I think I've understated the subtle but important benefits.  When I think about it, I've received any number of inmails and messages, and per what others have said, get views before a conference or speaking gig, which could very well result in someone introducing themselves to me in person and the like. Probably deserves more props than I'd given.

 

[Jobber]

It's also very useful in checking to see if that female coworker on the other end of the line is hot or not.

 

[Koya]

Connections are supposed to be people you actually know. Linking with every random person lessens the effectiveness of the site. 

Connections are people with whom I have an existing, or some legitimate reason to have a future relationship... I've never gone and just added random people (although I will rarely deny if someone tries to add me, which probably has been a majority, or at least very significant portion of my totals)... in fact, I add rather rarely, though at times I will see folks I've met and look to reconnect.

In regard to folks I add, there need be a very compelling reason for me to do so (usually because we've met, or plan to, or have been introduced to one another through a colleague)