I've been invited to join LinkedIn

[D1gger]

I'd never even heard of LinkedIn until I got his invite asking me to join.

I generally try to keep a very low profile on the internet, no facebook, no myspace etc. just because I tend to be a private person and spend most of my time on the internet anonymously.

Does anyone have any experience with LinkedIn? Was it worthwhile?

Hi D1gger,

I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.

- Friend

 

[James Bond]

It's intended to be Facebook for professionals. If you like being anonymous, don't sign up.

 

[rudeguy]

its a freaking website...

jeebus...do people really spend this much time on simple decisions?

 

[xanis]

Originally posted by: James Bond
It's intended to be Facebook for professionals. If you like being anonymous, don't sign up.

This. It's a social networking tool designed to build and maintain professional relationships and connections.

 

[alkemyst]

if you doubt it's for you, don't join...there is enough junk on there already.

For a pro that may need to reach out to others it's a valuable tool. Maybe I don't know any experts in netgates, but I see on LinkedIn my buddy knows a guy that works for them. I can contact my buddy for an introduction or just reach out to the new guy off the bat.

Or perhaps I am tired in my current line of work and looking to switch careers...I can hunt through those I am linked to and see if any are in my new preference and reach out to them or a common friend.

This is what LinkedIn is for.

 

[Leros]

I heard from entrepreneurial types that it can be very useful.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: Xanis

Originally posted by: James Bond
It's intended to be Facebook for professionals. If you like being anonymous, don't sign up.

This. It's a social networking tool designed to build and maintain professional relationships and connections.

Yup.

But unlike a typical social networking site...there's no "what-I'm-doing-right-now" garbage, no statuses, no blogs, no music, no "favorites", no wallpapers, or any of that shit..

It's essentially an online pseudo-resume and collection of professional connections. I like it.

 

[rchiu]

It's good for job hunting as well if you put up a good enough profile. I've been contacted by numerous people with job opportunities through LinkedIn.

 

[RichieZ]

they have a microsite where you can learn about it:

http://learn.linkedin.com/what-is-linkedin/

watch the video

but if you do join you should use the link in the email, that way you'll be connected to your friend already.

 

[DaveSimmons]

... or to a spambot.

We get invites from a "friend" in our ticket-based support systen at work. Apparently some people just really like Mr. Kayako e Support.

 

[Farang]

On my last interview the manager checked my linkedin first. There wasn't much there so it didn't matter, but if you build a network and have recommendations posted it can be useful.

 

[Paperdoc]

I've just signed up on the recommendation of a workshop speaker who uses it constantly in his career as a corporate development consultant with big-money clients. His phrase: It like Facebook, but for adults! Via links to friends and their friends, he says you can contact some very powerful and useful people for co-operation on your projects. I guess it's based in part on the "5 degrees of separation" concept - anyone in the world is only 5 links away from you in a network of contacts.

 

[spidey07]

Extremely valuable tool. Your professional network is the biggest asset to your career and this site allows you to grow and manage that. If you want to advance your career you should get linked in.

 

[LS21]

hate the site design, clutterness, the way it tries to pull and invite everyone