How do you use LinkedIn?
Over the past few weeks, we've been hearing some great questions on LinkedIn usage (subscribe to questions on "Using LinkedIn") with the most recent thoughts coming from Valeria Maltoni (via Phil Gerbyshak). I am sure you have stumbled upon a plethora of similar feedback on our different products and services. Here are three posts that cover different features: LinkedIn Answers, Job Postings, and LinkedIn Reference Check. Read on:
Three posts on LinkedIn Usage
* Chris Pirillo: "Top Reasons to use LinkedIn"
While all celebrity bloggers deal with a slew of LinkedIn requests (more on that later), a few like Chris have tried out some of our recent features like LinkedIn Answers and here's what he got.
LinkedIn was one of the first “social networks” I ever joined, if I remember correctly. I noted their new “Answers” section and decided to pitch out a simple question: Why do you like and/or use LinkedIn? :)
The responses started to stream in.
Check out the responses from Chris' LinkedIn Network on his blog post. Feel free to leave a comment on your usage of LinkedIn Answers at the end of this post as well.
* Jason Calacanis: "LinkedIn hits a tipping point"
Jason is definitely well-connected within LinkedIn, with over 2000 connections currently. However, here's a post where he outlines his experience using LinkedIn's Job Posting feature.
Anyway, after sending that email/posting the job out last night I got back--I kid you not--250 emails. That's like a 10-15% response rate. Now, only 50 of them had to do with the job (the rest were "how you doing!" kind of emails), but the 50 I got back were so fracking targeted it was INSANE.
* Guy Kawasaki: "Top 10 ways to use LinkedIn"
Here's an extremely valuable post for users on ten ways to maximize LinkedIn's effectiveness. Some of these usage tips center around solidifying your online brand identity (e.g. improve Google Page Rank, improve visibility, etc...) but he also highlights more recent and novel ways to leverage LinkedIn:
LinkedIn’s reference check tool to input a company name and the years the person worked at the company to search for references. Your search will find the people who worked at the company during the same time period. Since references provided by a candidate will generally be glowing, this is a good way to get more balanced data.
What started off as a quintessential Top 10 post from Guy quickly led to a profile makeover, details of which you can find here. Check out Guy's totally refashioned LinkedIn profile here.
Here are a few other bloggers who address their favorite area of usage within LinkedIn: Jeremy Toeman (Live: Digitally), Steve Rubel (Micro Persuasion), Rick Broida (Lifehacker), Cameron Olthius (Pronet Advertising), and others...
In what other ways have you utilized our different product features? Feel free to continue sharing with us in the comments section.
Carthic Kameshwaran May 2, 2007
LinkedIn was useful to find how good the vendors are. A colleague of mine uses this to scan the quality of vendor services. Geeting to speak to an employee at a vendor gives an insight at a different level of interaction.
Jenn Brown May 2, 2007
I think LinkedIn can be used for anything related to building professional relationships and research. I loved how Guy Kawasaki pointed out on his blog that it can be used to do reference checking on potential employers (and vendors, etc.).
Personally, I use it a lot for researching companies and potential contacts, and keep track of old friends I've worked with. It's helped me find both common ground and spot red flags as well.
I think the limitations are 1) the content loaded by users and 2) how much users think inside or outside the proverbial box.
Eric Mariacher May 3, 2007
I posted a list of advices on how to use LinkedIn.
http://eric-mariacher.blogspot.com/2006/05/my-2-cents-about-online-business.html
My 1st advice is :"GROW YOUR NETWORK WHILE YOU DON'T NEED IT!"
Ann Handley May 3, 2007
MarketingProfs Daily Fix blogger Harry Joiner posted a great bit here, "Leveraging LinkedIn":
http://www.mpdailyfix.com/2006/08/leveraging_linkedin.html
Mario Sundar May 3, 2007
Hi Jenn,
I started using LinkedIn for similar reasons myself. It definitely is a great tool to connect/re-connect with colleagues and peers.
Ann and Eric,
Thanks for the links.
Scott Allen May 3, 2007
Mario - I've got a related group blogging project going on over at Linked Intelligence. The list-type posts that you link to here won't suit the format - individual posts about specific uses of LinkedIn is what I'm looking for.
Giving away over $4,000 in prizes as incentive for participation:
http://linkedintelligence.com/smart-ways-to-use-linkedin-a-group-blogging-project/
Damon Billian May 4, 2007
I've personally found LI Answers to be more valuable than Yahoo! Answers. And while having a larger potential pool of people that can respond is interesting (Yahoo!), I think the general quality of the answers on LI is much better than I've had asking similar questions.
The primary reason I use LI is to keep in contact with former colleagues.
Valeria Maltoni May 4, 2007
Mario:
The wonderful thing about LinkedIn and the blogosphere is that you can trace back how conversations and connections are born and who participates. I found your post through Web A-Ziende. Ann is right; Harry has recommended wonderful uses for LinkedIn.
Phil Gerbyshak May 4, 2007
The ability to query my friends and business contacts in an open, easy way is a great reason to use LinkedIn answers.
I also use LinkedIn to keep up with what people in my network are doing. The updates feature is great.
One thing I would like to see is the adding of at least phone numbers to the vcard download.
Douglas May 10, 2007
I really find this to be the most useful business community going. However, I wonder if you are planning to introduce a blogging service for members? Part of the problems with blogs is getting traffic and the combination of networking inherent to this site solves the traffic issue.
Valerie Gamble May 14, 2007
I am starting my own healthcare recruiting business and just watched Good Morning America and this sight was featured. How do I search for people interested in the healthcare industry?
Thanks so much.
Ronald May 16, 2007
Hi,
Can you make it possible to add a picture to a profile so it is easyer to recognize one?
Tanks in advance
Ed Cardenas May 23, 2007
Easy response to your question on "How do you use LinkedIn?"; small and aggressive growth companies need to think smartly and efficiently to attract high quality talent into their organization. That growth can be achieved only through hiring people you know and trust to deliver solutions to customers and LinkedIn gives me and those within Attevo, Inc. the capability to do so!
tovorinok Jul 5, 2007
Hi
Great book. I just want to say what a fantastic thing you are doing! Good luck!
Bye
Thomas Adrian Jul 26, 2007
I agree with Ronald, add pictures now.