Business professionals and LinkedIn

[Ouachita]

Way off the topic of cattle. Well, maybe not. But I'm curious what your experience has been with the website "LinkedIn". I don't do Facebook nor any other type social media. I still don't know what a tweet is. Best I can tell, without joining, is that LinkedIn is a Facebook except for business instead of personal. Is this a correct assessment? I can only look at what I call a "preview" of people on the site. It tells me I have to join to see a persons full profile. So, I don't know what a full profile consist of, and not sure I want to join.
The reason I ask is that it seems a good way for prospective customers to see who I am, and hopefully a way for them to then connect with others who know me for reference purposes. I can see how a prospect might feel more comfortable doing some Internet research first nowadays. Times have changed. The days of a handshake are quickly coming to an end in some industries. So what are your opinions of this LinkedIn idea? Has it helped you in any way? Have you made new business connections or customers because you were on LinkedIn? Any negatives?

 

[skyhightree1]

too much social media and internet is never good

 

[Stocker Steve]

It has replaced a lot of the recruiters, and is often used for finding potential hires.

 

[presmudjo]

I haven't found it overly useful for information. It really only puts out there what a person puts into their own profile. I do know it is a bear to delete yourself and it really doesn't fully delete you.

 

[Ouachita]

I haven't found it overly useful for information. It really only puts out there what a person puts into their own profile. I do know it is a bear to delete yourself and it really doesn't fully delete you.

This has been my opinion thus far. We used to say (and I still do) "a piece of paper will hold still and allow you to write anything on it". I know the same is true with this LinkedIn site. My thoughts were that if it is truly linked in such a way that other folks could back up what you have to say about your business/yourself, then maybe it could serve as a biographical account of a person/business rather than a autobiography. I really don't know. But I am at a point in my business where more and more potential clients want and expect to find you on the WWW. I'm still a shade tree operator by these new standards. We stay very busy without advertising, so there is no immediate need to change. I just see the day coming when folks might not consider our services because they can't find us on the Internet. Other businesses, our competitors, have moved toward this type of exposure. I'm on the fence and would rather have another option. I'm also interested in hearing positive experiences

 

[CottageFarm]

It is primarily a business networking site. It's not really a "personal" site like FB, though I guess one could make it so if one really wanted to. While I am a member, I don't really do much with it, but I know a few people who do and it does seem to generate a lot of contacts for them, but don't know how much actual business it generates.
I'm not the "social" type, so I guess I don't really use it to it's full advantage. I also have privacy issues. My full name is not in my profile. You would have to actually know me, to know that it's my profile.

Initial contacts are gleaned from your email contact list. The site will continually prompt you to send an invitation to connect with those people on your email contact list. Like FB, it reads everyone's email contact list trolling for common links. When people with whom your connected add information to their profile, it sends you updates and prompts you to connect to their connections.

I agree, that even small businesses need to have some internet presence to survive. It's something I know I will have to do sooner rather than later as well. View them as a simple (and FREE) marketing tool, and you can keep your personal info private.

 

[Hook]

LinkedIn is too clunky to use on a mobile device. I have any account but never do anything with it. I'm about tired of the email notifications from them about so and so adding new profiles or information etc. I don't care

 

[lovehammer]

Your Linkedin profile is basically an online resume. Schooling info, skills, that type of thing. You control what goes into the profile. The cool feature is your connections can endorse your skills. It's one thing to say you have PLC programming skills and another to say it and have 15 other people that work with you vouch for those skills.

I have had a few job offers (gone through the interview process, etc.) from Linkedin. It's never a bad thing to explore your other options.

 

[James T]

In addition to what has already been mentioned, Linkedin allows an individual to seek out like professionals that they may contact for industry or specific applications information. The site also has professional groups that one can join where you can opt to participate or simply review the subject matter. The entire site is built around an individuals profession as opposed to Facebooks anything but (with some exceptions) environment. It's also a good way to look over your competition. Hook, they have a mobile app.

Linkedin has not really replaced external Recruiters because most of the corporate Recruiters still have no idea what they are looking at or what to do with it, even with their Applicant Tracking Systems. Headhunters (not to be confused with a Recruiter) have found the site rich with leads to those difficult to find skill sets that may not be on Linkedin.

It is not intended to replace a business web site but rather focus on individuals and their work experience, achievements, etc. All in all, it's a good site for the Professional, complete with various filters and privacy settings.

 

[jedstivers]

Someone I know did it and it went through all their contacts asking everyone to join. I was sick of being ask to join something I had no use for.