Sunday 7 July 2013

LinkedIn - Is it really useful? And if so, how?

Forgive the ignorance - I'm sure I should know this stuff.

But please, do you use LinkedIn - and, if you do - what for? I joined ages ago, filled in the profile-thingy, because someone said it might be a good idea. I even update that from time to time, when a new book comes out, that sort of thing. Apart from that I more or less ignore it.

I few people invited me to join their networks - well, there seemed no harm in that. It was only a technical link, after all - I wasn't inviting them into my house for cake. Then more people invited me to join their networks, and more ... and now every day brings an invitation. Today it was from someone in Turin, which is no doubt a lovely city - but he doesn't know me (even virtually - I've not seen him twittering, and there've been no Italian visitors to the blog). Still, he claims to be in publishing ... though I could claim the be the Queen of Sheba and no one would be any the wiser. (Does everyone tell the truth on LinkedIn? That seems unlikely.)

I can't work out what it's for. What am I missing? It seems to me like a web of people with tenuous onlineconnections that mean very little. I've had the occasional 'please buy my book' message, but apart from that - nothing. Is there a useful forum that's hiding in the shadows? If you're searching for an editor, or a short story writer, or even a travel writer, do you start by checking out your connections on LinkedIn?

Or is it just another site wanting to suck time out of us?


8 comments:

  1. I share your bafflement but perhaps that is becuase I haven't put much into it (yet) (or ever). I used to think the same about Twitter but actually I know so many people who find twitter useful and I now use it to contact companies and ask questions about things that puzzle me. I know people who use Linked in for the same reason.

    Anyway I shall be interested to find out what other people think about this.

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    1. The general silence here would suggest we're not missing much, Jenny, by giving LinkedIn scant attention. But something has just cropped up for me via twitter than looks suspiciously like work as a travel writer (will say more if it really happens), which supports your point.

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  2. I have never joined it and I get invites by email,I checked and no ,I do not have an account so I have no idea how they get my email address.
    Hubby is on LinkedIn and use it to be in touch with people in the same business as him. He seems to think that his profile gets looked at by businesses looking to recruit,he satys on it in case he has to look for another position,other than that I have no idea what it's for.

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    1. Looks like your joining us in the baffled corner, Anne - welcome!

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  3. Hi Jo .. I have an account set up a few years ago - and get people coming on to tie in with me .. as I only blog (for now) .. I just leave it sitting there .. but the connections could be good ... I think with social media - it's trying it out .. one at a time!

    However with your travels .. you could tie them all together .. a little via a tweet, an update via FB page, then a little more here and there .. and published books in various places ...

    Cheers Hilary

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    1. Thank you, Hilary - maybe I'll experiment, see if I can find my way around it.

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  4. Hi Jo, I'm late with this one. So very sorry, but it's been a busy week. I am very keen on Linked In but I admit, I use it as a website for my work. I have my CV on it and post my availability and I do receive quite a number of enquiries and offers of work through it, so for me it's great. However, I'm not sure it would be useful unless you need to make contacts for specific reasons. It's definitely very useful from a professional point of view.

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    1. Thanks for this, Val - late it fine! I hope it's been fun-busy. And maybe I need to use it to suggest I'm a travel writer and open to offers - can't do any harm?

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