Are you LinkedIN or HidingOUT?
In the comments section of my 100% Nerd post re: geekish glee over finally achieving a complete LinkedIn profile, fellow flack MB shares a great observation and poses a question about proper LinkedIn etiquette:
I requested and was accepted into the LinkedIn network of friend-of-friend, whose business expertise is geeky communications & Web-type stuff. In perusing the profile of my new-found e-friend, this person’s settings on LinkedIn are set to HIDE visibility access to “Connections.”
Isn’t the whole point of LinkedIn to help folks piece together the puzzle on *with whom* one’s profession leads one to interact? And make introductions, expertise requests etc, knowing we share mutual connection(s)?
Well, yeah. Connecting with peers and LINKING IN to friend-of-a-friend connections is the point, actually.
I keep my connections open for viewing, as do most of my LinkedIn peeps. And I have had peers request an introduction to a couple of my folks, which I happily provide because those requests are sincere.
LinkedIn even provides a one-off count for users. Mine says: 237 Connections links you to 2,458,900+ professionals. See! it’s all about connecting with those relevant 2nd and 3rd degree networks.
To MB’s point, the value of LinkedIn is that one can be validated and connected to other industry professionals or potential employees via a trusted source. I don’t think you are wrong for hiding your contacts, you’re just missing the point of the communications tool. If you want a private, online address book, go set up a Plaxo account.
So, what say ye, LinkedIn-ers? Do you keep your connections visible or do you mark them as private? Does it even matter?
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I keep my links public, and found LinkedIn to be a valuable tool in a job search I conducted this summer. I’d research companies of interest, pull them up on LinkedIn, and it would tell me people in my network that were 2 or 3 degrees away. I’d then use the Introduction tool to make that initial connection, and it helped get my foot in the door for interviews with two different companies… so keep those connections public!
BTW, 122 connections to 1,175,600 people over here. Not near as much as you, but not bad for an IT geek!
I’m with you, Dirk. And like most things – when it comes to LinkedIn connections it’s not quantity but quality that counts!
Thanks for always taking the time to comment here, man. I appreciate it … and Go Preds!
I agree – hiding your contacts on LinkedIn is lame. Kind of defeats the purpose of LinkedIn altogether.
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