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jtfrogger · 08-25-2010, 08:09 PM

To me, LinkedIn is a no brainer to maintain. It takes minimal effort and leads to results.

I lost my job last spring. As a result of finding a former co-worker on a business social networking site, I was able to land my first contract. I found him and we kept in touch through the summer. He eventually emailed me to see if I was interested in a contract position. I didn't ever push him for a job, but by keeping in contact with him I was able keep my name in his memory.

I have also had recruiters contact me on two fronts. One, recruiters I don't know found me and asked me if I was interested in positions that they were trying to fill. The second, is that I was contacted by recruiters that I do know to get my opinion on people in my network. In fact, one of the people that I recommended to a recruiter that specifically asked me because of our connection on LinkedIn had an interview today that apparently went very well. He was proposed by the recruiter that asked me about him.

The thing is, as with everything, you have to be careful on how you use it. Some people are obviously trying very hard on LinkedIn. They just appear desperate. These are the people that have a bunch of reciprocal recommendations and participate in every discussion thread. I haven't discussed it with any recruiter, but to me, they do not seem like desirable candidates.

My recommended dos:

Put as much care into it that you would your resume. Actually, it is pretty easy to cut & paste from your resume so you really don't have much of an excuse. I know I have used LinkedIn to look someone up. In some cases, while I was looking to hire someone. If you have a bunch of typos, I get the impression that you are just as sloppy in other things you do.
Put all the relevant experience in your work history that would apply to what would interest you.
Maintain it even when you are not looking for work. You don't have to do much, but add people that you work with. I pop in about once a week to see who the people in my network have connected with.
Join any relevant groups for you. For Calgarians, Linking Calgary is a great start.

My recommended don'ts:

Don't treat it like Facebook. It does look unprofessional to see a bunch of status updates about what you are doing on the weekend.
Don't fish for recommendations. If you get them, great, but I don't think they really add too much value. I have seen a few that had a dozen recommendations all within the same week. It looks contrived.
Don't use it to kill time. Get in, get out. If you spend a bunch of time commenting on various discussions, you look like you waste time.
Don't go fishing for people to connect with. Just connect with people you actually know. You can be found with a search without the connections, especially if you join one or two relevant groups.
Don't join a bunch of useless groups. It just invites crap.

Anyway, I just figured I would give my thoughts on it. It can be a very important tool. My dos & don'ts are based on my limited experience, but that does involve actually getting a job and working with recruiters.

08-25-2010, 08:09 PM	#12
jtfrogger Powerplay Quarterback Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Calgary, AB Exp:	To me, LinkedIn is a no brainer to maintain. It takes minimal effort and leads to results. I lost my job last spring. As a result of finding a former co-worker on a business social networking site, I was able to land my first contract. I found him and we kept in touch through the summer. He eventually emailed me to see if I was interested in a contract position. I didn't ever push him for a job, but by keeping in contact with him I was able keep my name in his memory. I have also had recruiters contact me on two fronts. One, recruiters I don't know found me and asked me if I was interested in positions that they were trying to fill. The second, is that I was contacted by recruiters that I do know to get my opinion on people in my network. In fact, one of the people that I recommended to a recruiter that specifically asked me because of our connection on LinkedIn had an interview today that apparently went very well. He was proposed by the recruiter that asked me about him. The thing is, as with everything, you have to be careful on how you use it. Some people are obviously trying very hard on LinkedIn. They just appear desperate. These are the people that have a bunch of reciprocal recommendations and participate in every discussion thread. I haven't discussed it with any recruiter, but to me, they do not seem like desirable candidates. My recommended dos: Put as much care into it that you would your resume. Actually, it is pretty easy to cut & paste from your resume so you really don't have much of an excuse. I know I have used LinkedIn to look someone up. In some cases, while I was looking to hire someone. If you have a bunch of typos, I get the impression that you are just as sloppy in other things you do. Put all the relevant experience in your work history that would apply to what would interest you. Maintain it even when you are not looking for work. You don't have to do much, but add people that you work with. I pop in about once a week to see who the people in my network have connected with. Join any relevant groups for you. For Calgarians, Linking Calgary is a great start. My recommended don'ts: Don't treat it like Facebook. It does look unprofessional to see a bunch of status updates about what you are doing on the weekend. Don't fish for recommendations. If you get them, great, but I don't think they really add too much value. I have seen a few that had a dozen recommendations all within the same week. It looks contrived. Don't use it to kill time. Get in, get out. If you spend a bunch of time commenting on various discussions, you look like you waste time. Don't go fishing for people to connect with. Just connect with people you actually know. You can be found with a search without the connections, especially if you join one or two relevant groups. Don't join a bunch of useless groups. It just invites crap. Anyway, I just figured I would give my thoughts on it. It can be a very important tool. My dos & don'ts are based on my limited experience, but that does involve actually getting a job and working with recruiters.