I don't know, maybe I'm confused. I've resisted posting this for a while, but what is it with LinkedIn at the moment? Let me start by saying that LinkedIn is a fairly useful business networking tool, there's no doubt about that, but I reckon problems are creeping in. Here are a few:
1. People randomly 'sharing' news headlines, snippets of stories etc. Could it really be that they're worried their fellow networkers aren't consuming enough media, like they might similarly worry about their kids not eating enough vegetables? Or are they just lonely and concerned that it's been a few minutes since they were at the top of the home page? You decide. Maybe they just don't have enough work to do...
2. 'Liking' things. I like things; I like clever ideas, useful leads, good candidates and clients, a nice lunch, a sunny day, Christmas... but why do people feel the need to 'like' everything on LinkedIn, almost as though if they don't 'like' it, a negative inference will be taken? I've just encountered half a dozen boring and tedious 'updates' with two or three other people 'liking' them. What was there to like? "I'm having a Starbuck's at my desk." "Ooooh, way to go, I LIKE that!" No, you don't. It's weird, stop it.
3. Drawing the line between social / professional networking.
We all have lives, I know I do, but is it wrong not to care about someone's new cat, new car, or what they did at the weekend? Save it for Facebook guys.
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So maybe one of the problems here is the ability to link Twitter and other social networking tools to LinkedIn, creating a situation where one tweet populates both the social and professional sphere. Maybe that's the way of the future. Is LinkedIn just morphing into Facebook with a professionalised veneer? If it isn't at the moment, look again in a year or so.
In the meantime, consider if people really will benefit from (or even want to see) your updates, next time your pointer hovers over the 'like' button, consider whether you really want to add to the morass of sugary little positive strokes breaking out all over LinkedIn.
I would Like that.
Just wondering if LinkedIn had a 'don't like' button, would people use it?
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
ReplyDeleteI particularly agree with the point where you state, 'drawing the line between social / professional networking.'
On a daily basis, we have clients who, if we search Google, have shared their personal life with everyone via their Facebook page. LinkedIn is supposed to be more 'business-like', however, like you, I've noticed it gradually turning into Facebook!