Linkedin - what is it (good) for ?

[MikeMusic]

LinkedIn is good for keeping in contact with work colleagues. Some of the groups are useful and we are just setting up the company page to be more useful to us. I've been on it for a while now and I like it for finding and keeping in touch with old colleagues and it's also a useful resource for people who get things done that you might have used before.

How is it better than say email ?

[MikeMusic]

I use LindedIn if we are hiring.

I use LinkedIn for researching the background of people I will be meeting.

As for being a contractor, no I am not a contractor. I use LinkedIn to maintain a network of recruiters should I need them. I prefer to keep my CV reasonably up to date and I find it useful to have at least one serious job move discussion per year. There might be something I want to move to but mostly this simply helps keep me current about what's happening in my area of the job market. For this to work you need to have your profile setup in a way that catches the recruiters eyes.

Thanks
I have one guy trying to persuade me that he can put me direct in touch with Linkedin groups in the Pharma industry who we do a lot of work with.
They sign up to the group but I'm apprehensive as I could be seen as spamming

[MartinT]

How is it better than say email ?

What if you don't have their e-mail address or they moved companies? LinkedIn sends you updates whenever a Connection makes an amendment, or you can just look them up and send a message directly. You can also find people from vague clues like a first name and the company and then add them to your Connections.

[MikeMusic]

What if you don't have their e-mail address or they moved companies? LinkedIn sends you updates whenever a Connection makes an amendment, or you can just look them up and send a message directly. You can also find people from vague clues like a first name and the company and then add them to your Connections.

Ah. Longer term that would be good, maybe essential.
I've had people I've never heard of wanting to connect with me. I checked their profile just in case. No idea who they are.
There are others who want to connect who would appear to want to sell me something
Is this because Linkedin is relatively new thing developing with growing pains and/or adjusting itself as it grows ?

[Markiii]

its (theoretically) good for changing jobs, and finding contacts in companies that you need

but as its mainly one big cv 99% of what people put on their profile is bullshit

[Clive]

Ah. Longer term that would be good, maybe essential.
I've had people I've never heard of wanting to connect with me. I checked their profile just in case. No idea who they are.
There are others who want to connect who would appear to want to sell me something
Is this because Linkedin is relatively new thing developing with growing pains and/or adjusting itself as it grows ?

LinkedIn is not new, it was launched 10 years ago! I was on it before I was on Facebook and I use it more than Facebook.

[Clive]

its (theoretically) good for changing jobs, and finding contacts in companies that you need

but as its mainly one big cv 99% of what people put on their profile is bullshit

I can't speak for others but 99% being bs might be extreme. It's not like people in your company can't see your profile. I certainly don't lie and if I did with my employer's name against it I could be disciplined, we have very strong policies about how we publicly represent our company.

[MartinT]

Yes Clive, me too. In fact if we spot a piece of bullshit from a current colleague we find ways of highlighting it and getting it amended

[MikeMusic]

its (theoretically) good for changing jobs, and finding contacts in companies that you need

but as its mainly one big cv 99% of what people put on their profile is bullshit

I suppose I should think of the marketing aspects like 'change management' and other but "running printing company for 34 years" is about it


the ability to type seems to be beyond me though !

[MikeMusic]

LinkedIn is not new, it was launched 10 years ago! I was on it before I was on Facebook and I use it more than Facebook.

I've been on it a few years
Seems as if it may be more useful than before
I'm on Facebook and Twitter but haven't been in there for months as I cannot see what good either of them are to me. Time thieves no doubt