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I got contacted very recently by someone looking for expertise in usability. He found me on LinkedIn, which makes that the third time anyone has contacted me for opportunities based on my profile. The experiences I’ve had have been really positive. I find LinkedIn to be amazing because it’s a real shortcut for both job seekers and headhunters.
1. There’s Transparency With LinkedIn
I get to choose what people see on my profile. It beats having to speak to headhunters who call me from a secret database of people, because they will never tell me how they got my phone number. I feel less threatened if a headhunter contacts me through LinkedIn rather than a random phone call.
2. LinkedIn is Like a Personal Career Blog
Headhunters read my profile like a storybook, because I put effort to make it read a certain way. I’ve found that all my new acquaintances on LinkedIn were like career conversations that sort of pick up where I left off. People who get in touch with me talk to me as though they already know me. So, I react in the same way. It really saves a lot of time, and it’s more pleasant talking to people that way, even during a first meeting. This just beats first time phone conversations, where time is wasted explaining to the headhunter my interests and goals.
3. It Feels More Appropriate for Someone to Introduce Opportunities through LinkedIn than Over the Phone
LinkedIn is a good place to meet people. I invest quite a bit into building my presence in LinkedIn, though not very thoroughly. I got my profile to 100% completeness. I also spent time writing recommendations to people, subscribe to groups, and answering questions. Somehow I feel better when someone wants to speak to me over a network that I’ve already built an interest in, and I can view their profile too.
4. I get a better sense of what value I portray to people who want to meet me over LinkedIn
I don’t get this with headhunters who call me over the phone. To those people, I’m just a guy with 8 years of Java experience in the telecoms industry. But with LinkedIn, those who got in touch with me seem to understand me better, and it’s rewarding to know that they’re trying to match my goals, instead of just my skills, with their requirements.
I do agree to some extent with Jeff Pulver that LinkedIn isn’t as good as Facebook for social networking (if even for business), but I prefer it that way. I like how LinkedIn is really designed with that corporate no-nonsense feel. I’d be embarrassed if a potential employer read odd posts on my Facebook Wall. I prefer to keep my work and personal life a bit more separate than others. I don’t mind employers reading this blog, though.
5. LinkedIn is A Glue that Holds Everything Together
One guy I met mentioned that he got my contact through my blog, while he was looking through my profile. He picked up on a few articles I posted, and we had a good chat. I don’t blog about industry topics that much on my blog, but there was something authentic and consistent across the profile and the blog posts. People get a better sense of connection about that.
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Comments
08.06.08
I prefer Doostang.com to LinkedIn, personally. I'd be happy to invite you if you send me your email address.
08.06.08
Boon, I love LinkedIn, too! I have found sources for articles, landed writing assignments, and gotten guest blogging opportunities as a result of my LinkedIn profile. But (like all social networks) I think you need to be active in order for it to really pay off. You can't just half-ass your profile, add a dozen contacts, and call it a day. No one will ever find you that way. Only after I added a photo and started filling out my status on a regular basis, did LinkedIn become a valuable tool.
08.06.08
Amialya - There's another one called YSN.com, but I'm too lazy to maintain two sets of profiles (LinkedIn + YSN). Could you send me an invite to boon [at] leapwalking [dot] com? I wouldn't mind checking out Doostang.
Susan - you're absolutely right. I only started getting invitations after my profile looked 'serious' enough. That's what I meant by LinkedIn being the 'glue' since any content that brands you like blogs really leverages off it.
08.20.08
Great article overall.
>>> It Feels More Appropriate for Someone to Introduce Opportunities through LinkedIn than Over the Phone.
I tend to disagree. I've had a couple folks introduce themselves via phone based on what they learned about me on Linked In. I think e-mail is overrated vs. the phone. Some folks are much more skilled talking than writing and emails are very easily missed in the blur of social connecting. E-mails also can't solicit interview like precision and follow up to questions in real time. I think role of the phone in business development should not be trumped or overlooked.
Again, great article...
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