Posts Tagged ‘LinkedIn’


« Older Entries

Resources, Relevancy Can Help Ease Layoff Fears

January 29th, 2009 by Erin Posted in Business, LinkedIn, Twitter | No Comments »

They say layoffs haven’t been this bad since the Great Depression.

Bloody Monday – January 26, 2009 – At least six major U.S. companies from manufacturing and service industries slashed nearly 72,000 jobs.  That’s on top of the 200,000 job cuts that have been announced this year, and the nearly 2.6 million jobs that were lost in 2008.

This news is enough to send anyone – employed or not – into a tailspin. In fact the other morning, I heard a radio dj discussing the “top warning signs that a pink slip is coming.”

I think it was meant to be funny, but it really wasn’t. All it did was instill even more fear and loathing.

So the question I pose: How do you cope when you’ve been laid off, or suspect you’re about to be?

The answers are simple: resources and relevancy.

Pushing a resume around won’t get you anywhere in this market. You must – in fact, you’ll be forced – to use the power of Web 2.0. Today, business is conducted online through social networking sites like LinkedIn, Twitter – even Facebook. It may be a no-brainer to join one of these sites, but the key is stay on top of them and use them to your advantage. Believe it or not, you can get ahead with sites like LinkedIn. All you need is a little know-how.

Which brings me to my next point: relevancy.

Stay relevant when, as they say, you’re “on the beach.”  Don’t waste away, wallowing in your own self pity.

Network – and educate yourself on the best way to do it.

Volunteer with a purpose. Set up a business plan or budget at a local nonprofit.

Keep up with technology, especially as it relates to your field. Did you know that LinkedIn and IBM have partnered to create a new networking service? It’s a dynamic program that will integrate LotusNotes, Connections and LotusLive – and it has the potential to open crucial new doors in the world of professional networking.

Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

Yes.

Economists predict that the recession will turn around after the second quarter of 2009.

Until then, keep your head in the game – and don’t forget to laugh. 

 

�

 Tags: , , , , ,

LinkedIn LION: Connection Counting Controversy Brews

January 24th, 2009 by Erin Posted in Business, LinkedIn | 1 Comment »

There’s trouble in paradise.

The blogosphere is buzzing about LinkedIn’s move to clamp down on a controversial association called the LinkedIn open networkers (LIONs). This is a group of LinkedIn members who add thousands of contacts – known on the site as “connections” – even if they are total strangers.

In an effort to restrict some of their activity, LinkedIn recently sent some messages to LIONs saying they had exceeded a newly imposed connection limit of 30,000. As it stands, some LION members say they have pending “invitations to connect” that they can’t accept as a result of the restriction.

CIO.com has been on top of this story, covering it from the beginning. Their recent profile of LinkedIn’s “super connected” revealed a double-edged sword. While LIONs are described as helping strangers find new business opportunities through LinkedIn, they are also referred to as “name collectors” who are trying to build connection lists in order to spam other members.

On any given day, regular free users of LinkedIn can search and access a portion of social network’s 34 million members based on their connection count. There are immediate connections, second degree contacts (friends of friends), and third degree contacts, which are connections made by introduction through a mutual connection. But what many of these users don’t know is that LinkedIn keeps a close tally on all free connections. Rack up so many and your connection size will be listed as “500+” as a way to discourage the practice of connection counting.

LION member and financial planner, Steven Burda openly admits he is a connection counter.  He claims he has 40,000 of them. However, the recommendations on Burda’s profile are proof that he’s not spamming, but actually helping others build business ties.

Depending on which way you look at it, the LIONs are doing something right - or terribly, terribly wrong.

Seems to me these LIONs are trying to buck the system. Rather than buy a premium membership – they are generating contacts and potential business opportunities all for FREE.

CIO reports that if LinkedIn had any legal footing in this matter the LIONs would have been kicked off the site a long time ago. But as threatening as they are to their bottom line, LinkedIn knows that the LIONs are here to stay.

 Tags: , , , , ,

LinkedIn Ramps Up Recruiting Tools

January 13th, 2009 by Erin Posted in LinkedIn, Small Business | No Comments »

LinkedIn sure loves its corporate recruiters.  So much so, the business networking site is expanding its recruitment tools.

Some highlights:

  • Customizable company information pages that corporate customers can configure to match a job opening to the profile of the LinkedIn member who is reading the material.
  • An e-mail marketing campaign tool that lets corporate customers tap into LinkedIn’s existing InMail network to broadcast job openings and other messages.
  • An expanded banner advertising program.
  • A flat fee annual subscription for job board postings.

LinkedIn is hoping these new features will bolster Recruiter – an applicant tracking-style tool – with search, collaboration and even more tracking features. The new pay-per-seat service will also allow recruiters to send messages to LinkedIn members, store information on prospective candidates, share data with co-workers and create job-offer templates.

Kudos to LinkedIn for trying to beef up its brand, although I worry that some companies will be put off. These new services seem rather commercial – and seem similar to Monster and CareerBuilder.

Does any one use banner ads anymore?

Do people still respond to email marketers?

Still LinkedIn says it adds nearly a million new members every two weeks – so they must be doing something right.

Right?

 Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Twitter vs LinkedIn: The New Face of Social Media

January 6th, 2009 by Erin Posted in LinkedIn, Small Business, Twitter | No Comments »

Something stinks in the world of social media.

There are too many sites. Too many profiles. Too many friends, followers, and contacts.

In the beginning, MySpace and Facebook were the end of the social media line. Not anymore.

Enter LinkedIn and Twitter.

Both are in a head-to-head fight over popularity and validation, especially in the world of small business.

True both can help generate links, forge relationships, and generate direct sales. But, like in any race, there is only one victor – and this case, I believe it will be Twitter.

Here’s why.

Twitter. It’s all the rage lately. It offers the unique ability to connect with a ton of people you normally wouldn’t have access too – and it all begins with a simple one line update, or tweet.

Here’s a real life example.

A recent Wall Street Journal article featured a woman named Alexa Scordato. When Alexa was looking for a job she didn’t email her LinkedIn contacts about possible openings. Instead, she sent a tweet via Twitter.

Her brief message: “Hey there! Looking for a Social Media job up in Boston. Are you guys doing any entry level hires?”

Within a week, according to WSJ, Alexa had an interview. Within two weeks, she had a job.

Twitter also has the potential to drive some serious traffic to your site. Simply enter the URL into your tweet and your site is golden.

Now Linkedln, on the other hand, is whole different ball game. The site is all about e-mail invitations, connections, and building a professional network.  You build your profile, then invite people (or friends) to join your network. While LinkedIn does have the one line update feature- like those found on Twitter and Facebook – it’s not the driving feature on the site. In my opinion, you really have to know LinkedIn to use it to your advantage. Think of it as a meet and greet arena; users must set up a profile and start introducing themselves around.

Seems to me Twitter can maximize your brand with minimal effort. For LinkedIn users, well, that could take a while.

Go ahead. Give a tweet on Twitter – and see where the next big thing in social media will take you.

Sorry LinkedIn.

 Tags: , , , ,

LinkedIn LION – Why?

August 11th, 2008 by Gregory Silvano Posted in Developers, LinkedIn | No Comments »

Have you ever noticed a LinkedIn profile that has “LION” or “L.I.O.N” or “Open Networker” in the name?  LION stands for LinkedIn Open Networker, and I’m not going to beat around the bush here: I just don’t get it.

LinkedIn is not a popularity contest.

What good are 500+ connections if you don’t actually know any of them?  Are you suddenly more important (more popular?  more profitable?) if you have 1,500 connections on LinkedIn?  The goal of networking is to build relationships with people, not to collect their email addresses and add another notch on your Rolodex tally.

Today I have 185 contacts in my LinkedIn profile, a number that may decrease in the near future.  I’m going to remove anybody whom I am not 100% comfortable calling and just saying hello.  If I have to call you, explain who I am and where I work, then honestly I don’t think there’s much reason to include you in my professional network.  And that’s what LinkedIn is supposed to be - a professional networking resource.

Here’s my LinkedIn Network Quality Test.  To be in my LinkedIn network (not that it’s an honor), a contact must fit this criteria:

  1. I trust you.
  2. I like you.
  3. I have had more than one email or phone call with you at some point in our relationship.
  4. I want to do business with you sometime in the future, if we don’t do business together already.

 

That’s it.  These four criteria embody the exact opposite of the LION philosophy, which is simply: if you have an internet connect and can type my email address, welcome to my network.

 Tags: , ,

« Older Entries