Why Bother With Social Networking Sites Like LinkedIn?

Q: I think I understand the value of networking as well as the next businessman, but for the life of me, I don't really see what sites like LinkedIn, Ryze and Ecademy can do for me. What's the point of these sites other than just as some sort of digital popularity contest?

A: My good friend and colleague Liz Ryan, head of the women's power networking group WorldWIT, Women in Technology, has a great answer to this sort of question, an answer that I'm quoting here with permission:

I ask people to join LinkedIn, and often they say "I don't want the spam." So I say "You won't get any spam." And they say "But I'm not job-hunting." And I say "You don't have to be job-hunting." Then we go back and forth for awhile. It's a bit of a challenge to get my own friends to see the forest for the trees, sometimes. When Monster.com was new, the big idea was to post jobs online. As an HR person, I can tell you, Monster is a pretty awful place to post jobs. You get KILLED with unwanted resumes from job seekers all over the world. I truly believe that Monster.com is the reason that HR people no longer respond to online job seekers - and sometimes offline job seekers - with any kind of response.

Anyway, over time HR people and recruiters figured out that the real value to Monster is the ability to search the candidate database (for a fee). Maybe some of the same thing is happening with LinkedIn. What seems like the obvious benefit to membership may not be the key feature for a lot of users. See what you think about this LinkedIn primer that I share with my friends. If I'm doing something I shouldn't be doing on LinkedIn, I'd love to know that too!

1) Your profile itself is a great value to joining LinkedIn. I get great, useful contacts from my profile appearing on LI, and of course it's free.

2) Even if you're not job-hunting or doing business developing or searching for contacts yourself, it's a great thing to be able to be a conduit for your friends. They really appreciate that service that you can provide for them. Just the reconnect- with-an-old colleague bit is a godsend: where else can you do that online?

3) LinkedIn is the google for individuals who aren't high on Google rankings. That means anyone who's in a corporation but not senior enough to appear on the About Us/Management Bios page (although of course, those execs are often on LinkedIn too); anyone who is a partner in a consulting firm but perhaps not often in the news or otherwise mentioned online; and zillions of other people whom you'd have trouble finding if it weren't for LinkedIn.

4) Let's say you have a business meeting with the VP of Marketing at a major corporation next week. If it weren't for his profile on LinkedIn (say, if you were having this meeting three years ago), how would you learn where he went to school, where he worked before his current job, and other details about him? With the help of his LinkedIn profile, you're a zillion times better prepared for the meeting.

5) Now let's say that VP of Marketing is behind the curve and doesn't have a LinkedIn profile. No big; you find another connection of yours who works at the VP's current company, and ping her for some background. See? LinkedIn to the rescue again.

6) Want to know who's working in a particular industry space in a given city? LinkedIn search. Intelligence gathering, even if you never contact any of the people you find.

My point is that there's lots more to LinkedIn than just reaching out to people for job leads and for business development leads - not that either of those are bad things. And I agree with other posters that you have to use the tool, rather than just join up and sit there like a lump. But I'd love to hear stories of some more creative uses for LinkedIn, from other users...

Thanks for sharing your compelling story with everyone, Liz. When I think about your point with Monster.com causing recruiters to never list jobs online anymore, I not only know that it's true from personal experience, but also find it to be an interesting example of the law of unintended consequences, in the same way that a site like LinkedIn helps with market research or background checks.

At the end of the day, in business you're ultimately constrained only by the skills you can bring to the table and the network of friends and acquaintances you can call on for help, advice and assistance. And if you don't help them when you can, of course, it doesn't take long to be ostracized from a group, however informal or far- flung. But if you are part of a circle of professionals, you will always grow your career faster, smarter, and more profitably.

Dave Taylor is an internationally recognized expert on business and technical topics and is the author of 18 different books and thousands of magazine articles. His Q&A Web site is http://www.askdavetaylor.com/

---

Create a 10 Second Introduction From Your USP

You can generate a ton of business by networking, whether... Read More

Power Networking: Getting Your Name Out There!

Today's economy presents some very special challenges to people who... Read More

Increasing the ROI on Your Networking

Networking requires an investment of time, money and effort. Here... Read More

Ask for What YOU Want and Gain More Business

Why ask others for help and what do you gain... Read More

Good Manners Mean Good Business

Good manners, good networking and good business all have the... Read More

Sticky Situations: Nametag Best Practices

Because a person's name is the single context of human... Read More

Keys to Successful Networking While In Transition

Let's be real. With other pressures of life upon us,... Read More

Powerful Networking: Focus on Building Connections, Not Closing Sales

You can find numerous references in the business literature about... Read More

Why Cant I Start A Conversation With You?

One out of every ten Americans has a fear of... Read More

The 4 Attitudes of Awesome Hospitality

Hospitality relates to the Latin term philoxenia, or "the love... Read More

Have We Met Before? What to Do When You Cant Remember Who Yourre Talking To

You see him from across the room. You know him,... Read More

Practice Makes Pefect

What is the problem when people try to describe what... Read More

Two-Step Your Communication

Ever use someone else to get your message out?For example,... Read More

Giving Referrals to Get Referrals

One of the best ways to get a referral is... Read More

Make Money on the Internet - The Lifestyle Advantages of Professional Marketers

Some of the most successful businesses in existence today started... Read More

10 Top Tips for Successful Networking

1. Recognise the importance of networkingAsk any successful business person... Read More

5 Ways to Wow People Who Wear Nametags

People wear nametags more often than you think. The majority... Read More

Networking - Facts to Ponder

Right here in Europe, the very last continent to enter... Read More

Five Stumbling Blocks To Successful Networking And How To Overcome Them

The ability to connect with people is essential to success... Read More

Real Business Networking Doesnt Happen at Networking Events

Real networking isn't about handing out business cards at a... Read More

Plan for the Event or Flounder

Rather than being there to eat the food and drink... Read More

Talk Isnt Cheap

The most successful organizations have good communication skills. Survey after... Read More

Building Great Business Relationships

If you're in a business relationship with anyone ? a... Read More

The 7 Habits of Highly Horrible Networkers

Networking is a term that didn't exist (academically) until almost... Read More

Strategic Networking: Take the Shortest Path to Success

Do you use Ryze or LinkedIn to promote your web... Read More

Land the Ideal Job Using Social Networks

With at least 60% of job-seekers finding employment through networking,... Read More

A Vital Habit For Selling Big Ticket Items

I hope the title of this article aroused your curiosity!... Read More

Franchisees Should Learn From Each Other

If you own a franchise you should be in contact... Read More

What Has Networking Got To Do With Joint Ventures?

What has networking got to do with joint ventures? "PLENTY"... Read More

Sell For Yourself Or Sell For Your Boss?

First of all I would like to start this article... Read More

Networking: What the Heck is a Ryze?

If you're new to the internet marketing club, you may... Read More

How to Collect Business Cards

Why the business card grab is not why you are... Read More

Lesson 15 - Meeting the Prince with More Reputation than Power

The StoryBusiness has a habit of testing us as individuals... Read More