LinkedIn. Whats it do for us?

[Machtool]

Some thing that has been bothering my feeble brain. Just looking at an email, just in. In this case it was regarding Ray G. He's added a new picture. I know what he looks like, we had lunch on Friday.

A Q? Whats the point in LinkedIn? Any one on my Network, I have your email and phone all ready. Apart from the really pretty girl on Peter H's connections. I'm not sure, I can see the point of it.

The few commercial clients in my net work, my book keeper, and a few other ring-ins, seem to want to send "recommendations" for things I would never do or touch.

I'm only making this forum related, as it has harversted email addresses. I know lots of email addresses from here. I have an email today to "connect" with one B.T from Perth. He has my home phone and email. Same thing with the pilot's x 2. We speak allready.

I'm at a loss of what it add's. I'm yet to pick up the phone and hear "I read your LinkedIn, can you come and fix this"

Dont go to too much trouble, I'm just interested what it does?

Regards Phil.

[RayG]

Hi Phil,

That's weird, I've recently been fending off unwanted LinkedIn spam, it's driving me nuts, it keeps wanting me to complete my profile, so what the hell... I completed it, maybe then it will leave me alone...
giving as little imformation as I could, and checked the box which said don't send out status updates....

Now, I'll get notifications saying that someone on Linked In looked at my profile..... ?

Bottom line, it does nothing for me. Too creepy for words. See cartoon below.

Ray

[Big Shed]

I have a very simple policy with things like LinkedIn, Facebook etc.

I stay the hell away from them!

Any "invitation" to join any of these goes straight to my Spam folder.

Maybe I'm just a grumpy old fart (correction I AM a grumpy old fart) but I just don't see the point.

(This thread really has nothing to do with Metalwork does it?, Should I move it to Have your say? - You guys don't need Facebook etc - you use the Metalwork Forum as your "social media")

[Chesand]

What Fred said. Not for me either.

[bob ward]

I received a purported LinkedIn email purportedly from someone I know locally, and I do know from conversation that this person is on LinkedIn.

I ignored that email and then a few days later I received another. This time not only did they still want me to join LinkedIn but they also wanted my email password???

Not interested.

What's it do for us? Very little I suspect, I think its more about what it does for them.

[Sir Stinkalot]

The problem occurs when people let Linked In scan their address book and then it uses this data to send out requests.

Personally I feel that it is a concept that hasn't really quite taken off yet. I use it for work and it is somewhat handy to find consultants that colleagues may use. For example I can look at a friend interstate, find they are linked to a consultant and then at least I feel if I need their services I know somebody who has recommended them over a random Internet search.

As for a personal tool I can't see much use, particularly given that the professional side of things is still limited.

[Machtool]

Should I move it to Have your say? - You guys don't need Facebook etc - you use the Metalwork Forum as your "social media")

No skin off my nose either way. I only mention it because most of my linked in mates are from this forum. (As lots of them are in my email address book any way).

It was just a thought bubble, feel free to move it. I'm at a loss as to what it does. I was happy to dicuss it here, as all my "contacts are from here". But I'm sure it applies to the greater forum.

It wasn't that important, just some wierd stuff I click and clack on. And its been going on for 12 months. I forget how I even got involved. Some one must have invited me to the party. I'm yet to see the helium ballons and Champaigne.

Best Regards.
Phil

[Big Shed]

No skin off my nose either way. I only mention it because most of my linked in mates are from this forum. (As lots of them are in my email address book any way).

It was just a thought bubble, feel free to move it. I'm at a loss as to what it does. I was happy to dicuss it here, as all my "contacts are from here". But I'm sure it applies to the greater forum.

It wasn't that important, just some wierd stuff I click and clack on. And its been going on for 12 months. I forget how I even got involved. Some you must have invited me to the party. I'm yet to see the helium ballons and Champaigne.

Best Regards.
Phil

Nah mate, just having a stir!

[Big Shed]

The problem occurs when people let Linked In scan their address book and then it uses this data to send out requests.

That really puts it on the same level as spam.

No wonder I get that many of these things, why should people let some other (intrusive) bit of software scan their address book?

Bit like people sending emails to a group of other people using CC because they are either too thick or too lazy to use BCC.

You get some nonsensical forwarded "joke" which people forward to their whole contact list using CC!

Again, straight in the Spam folder.

[Pete F]

Phil, I don't use it myself, no point, nor do I really use Facebook or any of the social networking sites, but my wife uses it extensively in her business, to the point where it's basically an essential part of modern business in her opinion. She said it's a little like "professional Facebook" to use her words. She insists that it's all about networking. I gave her a brief description of your business and she was most insistent that it's exactly the type of scenario that would benefit a lot from using it.

Personally I have no idea, like others here I prefer to stay away from this type of thing, and they can shove that Google plus thing where the sun doesn't shine too! I was only reading the other day how their email client has algorithms in it to comb through relevant parts of emails and then target advertising to what you've been saying in Gmail messages.

Anyway, if you want my wife to run through it with you I'm sure she'll be more than happy to, just let me know by email.

[Michael G]

... I was only reading the other day how their email client has algorithms in it to comb through relevant parts of emails and then target advertising to what you've been saying in Gmail messages.

I already get that just on web pages like on the forum. (at least I think that's why those pictures appear...)
I signed up to Linkedin 6 months or so ago because everyone was telling me that I needed a "professional profile". I've found a few people I used to work with but all those high paying jobs with great conditions haven't yet shown up.

Michael

[Pete F]

Yeah that's coming from your previous Google searches Michael. Clever in a way, annoying in another way. I constantly get bombarded with EDM advertising whenever I visit PM as a result of a fair amount of searching I did on that topic a few months back. It still hasn't let up!

The story I was reading was a bit more involved than that (Weekend Australian???). The woman author related how she'd been discussing her yet to be announced marriage with her fiancee on Gmail, and next thing she was getting targeted Google advertising about wedding venues etc etc. IIRC she described it as crossing the line from being clever to being "creepy". I have a Facebook account, but see no need to update it with all manner of personal information. I occasionally use it, maybe a couple of times a year, and admit it's nice to see what old friends are doing. I was a ski instructor for 5 years and would have lost touch with pretty much all my friends from there if it weren't for Facebook. I understand Linkedin is basically the same thing except for professionals; it helps to maintain contact with people from past jobs, industries, locations, etc you would have otherwise just drifted away from.

[BobL]

. . . . . I understand Linkedin is basically the same thing except for professionals; it helps to maintain contact with people from past jobs, industries, locations, etc you would have otherwise just drifted away from.

What these SNs fail to get is that some of us do want to deliberately completely lose contact with some, or maybe a lot, of former connections.

I have mind the public "nutters" I had to deal with, students and the parents of students I failed in subjects and terminated from courses, business and staff whose contracts I did not renew, and others that were asked to leave. I don't want to have anything to do with these people or businesses, not even the satisfaction of being able to "unfriend" them will make me join up. Some of them still email me occasionally but at least these can be automatically deleted.

Some of them used to call me at work for time wasting hour long chats on my work office and my mobile number. It got to the point where I had to divert all calls to answering machines. One of the first and best things I did when I stopped working was change my mobile number. I should have done this a lot earlier.

[Pete F]

I hear you Bob, I just got notification that a certain person I once met was "following" me a few days back. ! was about the only reaction I could come up with! Borderline creepy, but that's another story in itself!

I have no idea what the appropriate etiquette is with this type of thing. I can imagine "unfriending" someone is quite a statement, and possibly not cool, but other than that I have no idea. As mentioned, my wife is the Queen of social media, but given here field (recruitment) that's not surprising. I certainly am not very comfortable with the amount of data these companies gather on us, data that's often volunteered to them. That can then be used to generate more specific data, and so it goes on. I don't want to sound like a tinfoil hat wearer, but identity fraud isn't just something that's impossible to happen. All this data is well and good if it's used properly, but the people I've spoken to who have been the victim of identity fraud say it's your worst nightmare to recover from. Allied to that is what some people post on social media. What may sound like a good idea or funny at the time may some back to haunt you at a later date!

[bob ward]

.............. That can then be used to generate more specific data, and so it goes on. I don't want to sound like a tinfoil hat wearer, but identity fraud isn't just something that's impossible to happen. All this data is well and good if it's used properly, but the people I've spoken to who have been the victim of identity fraud say it's your worst nightmare to recover from ......

Identity fraud is probably the most serious concern in all of this. Its an horrendous mess for the victim when someone pretends to be them in a court case. Having someone rip off your credit card is a hassle to have rectified.

Also there is a problem emerging, greatly helped by the trend to on-line everything in the banking world, of people having substantial loans taken out in their names. Good luck sorting that one out.