LinkedIn-Does it help?

Sup peeps,

I recently setup a LinkedIn profile, added 30 connections and got 4 recommendation. ***PM me if you want to connect***

Through LinkedIn, i just applied for an opportunity of lifetime at a "BIG BIG" firm. More info later...

SO I also upgraded my account and sent the recruiter who posted the job for this firm almost a "cover letter" type message and hoping that it will help me get at least an interview in this overly-competitive and horrendous job market...

SO what you guys think about linkedIn? As i stated, i just setup the profile last week and noticed that my connections, some of them Managers At Cisco and Microsoft btw, had 250+ connections...

Is it a good job hunting tool?

Thanks.

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Comments

wheez

erpadmin wrote: »

Never knew it! LOL...definitely asked to join though.

I knew.. but forgot!

Now joining as well.

Oh, and on-topic: never really had advantages from using it, but neither disadvantages. Mainly using it to keep track of people that would be useful advancing my career at some time.

Paul Boz

You can also make LinkedIn far less annoying by adjusting your messaging rules. I set my stuff up to receive a weekly digest of messages and notifications. That way rather than getting blown up with 30 emails a week I can just pick and chose.

colemic

You can also specify for what reasons people can connect with you. And you can always ignore those requests that you don't want to deal with.

Devilsbane

Paul Boz wrote: »

You can also make LinkedIn far less annoying by adjusting your messaging rules. I set my stuff up to receive a weekly digest of messages and notifications. That way rather than getting blown up with 30 emails a week I can just pick and chose.

I get very few emails. Friend requests, acceptances, and messages is about it. I also have it set to be notified of replies to topics, but I don't spend much time discussing things so I don't get many of those anymore.

mikedisd2

Paul Boz wrote: »

As long as you don't treat it like MySpace its great. I get dozens of invites a month from people I don't know. I deny about 90% of them though, because if I don't have a professional relationship with you I don't have a reason to friend you. I make exceptions for people I feel are knowledgeable and would be considered great contacts, but 9/10 random forums invites gets blown up. I got my current job through one of my good friends' recruiter and the first thing she did was check out my linkedin to see who I knew. You don't want a bunch of random people on there that may potentially make you look bad. On the inverse, if you have like a dozen CCIEs that will vouch for you you're rock solid.

Thanks for this. I've been on it for over a year and I never really knew what it was for. Just that everyone else was doing it.

mikedisd2

Aldur wrote: »

Unless of course your a super spy for a foreign gov't

Why not? James Bond goes around telling everyone his name, what he does and even his agent code. He probably posts his own YouTube movies as well.

Paul Boz

mikedisd2 wrote: »

Why not? James Bond goes around telling everyone his name, what he does and even his agent code. He probably posts his own YouTube movies as well.

[nerd hat]
James Bond isn't James Bond's real name. James Bond is a cover name that matches the agent code. When you become 007 you become James Bond. That's how Ian Fleming explains the different actors while maintaining a common universe.
[/nerd hat]

dynamik

Paul Boz wrote: »

[nerd hat]
James Bond isn't James Bond's real name. James Bond is a cover name that matches the agent code. When you become 007 you become James Bond. That's how Ian Fleming explains the different actors while maintaining a common universe.
[/nerd hat]

And if you look at my profile, you will see I have a recommendation from Paul, but I have not given him a BS reciprocal one. This is why.

JDMurray

If you are on LinkedIn and haven't jointed the TechExams group, please do so and I'll send you a personal link invite. If your LinkedIn privacy settings require your email address to be invited, PM it to me if you want to link.

TechExams.net group | LinkedIn

RomBUS

I actually got a couple of job callbacks from applying to jobs on there so it is a pretty decent tool

I dont have any connections, quite frankly I dont get the point in having connections?

falcon101

RomBUS wrote: »

I actually got a couple of job callbacks from applying to jobs on there so it is a pretty decent tool

I dont have any connections, quite frankly I dont get the point in having connections?

I am hoping to use this tool to at least get an interview. I do think that the connections part is very crucial in the success of your profile. It is the connections (some of them) that may be a bridge to a better position. When the time is right, I may send my connections messages on "helping a brotha out", if needed. Yes, I actually personally know majority of my connections.

Again, things like LinkedIn are tools to improve your job hunting endeavors. Its not the ultimate job tool but an accessory that can help in maybe getting you in somewhere.

Devilsbane

RomBUS wrote: »

I actually got a couple of job callbacks from applying to jobs on there so it is a pretty decent tool

I dont have any connections, quite frankly I dont get the point in having connections?

It is good to have friends in IT. I'm not saying that you need to be connected with 600 people, but having a few friends is always a plus. The more people you are connected with, the more people that can see your profile (good or bad). For example, if we both have JD Murray on our friends list, I'll be able to find your profile. If I'm looking to fill a job and your profile matches what I'm looking for, then your connection might have just got you a job.

The other thing that connections can do, is write recommendations for you. If you have a few of those, you will stand out even more.

Mike-Mike

just started a profile today and I was coming here to ask about it, and found this thread

laptop

Is there a way to limit people see my entire profile?

example:

A is connected to B.
C is connected to B.

Profile A can see Profile C. Profile C can see Profile A. Can see the entire info.

Is there a way to not let them see it?

I prefer to let B see my entire info.

colemic

Look under your profile settings, 'Public Profile.' You should be able to change the settings there. (I think)

RomBUS

Devilsbane wrote: »

It is good to have friends in IT. I'm not saying that you need to be connected with 600 people, but having a few friends is always a plus. The more people you are connected with, the more people that can see your profile (good or bad). For example, if we both have JD Murray on our friends list, I'll be able to find your profile. If I'm looking to fill a job and your profile matches what I'm looking for, then your connection might have just got you a job.

The other thing that connections can do, is write recommendations for you. If you have a few of those, you will stand out even more.

Yes I totally agree with the fact that having connections in IT is important, its part of the networking part of it. I was wondering how the "connections" feature worked in LinkedIn in a positive, I guess its the same way. I actually have seen previous employees on there, I should connect with them

tpatt100

I joined HR personnel networks from my last employer on LinkedIn. That is how I got my new job

Devilsbane

I wonder if someone can help me with this.

I googled myself today, and the first thing to pop up was my linked in. That is fine. But clicking then directed me to my profile. On there you could see where I was working now, all of my past employments, as well as all of my education. Is there any way to trim this down? As far as I know the only thing they didn't see were who my connections are (but they get a number) and possibly my picture. That is way to information to let any nosey person know.

dynamik

Settings & Personalization - LinkedIn Learning Center

Forsaken_GA

I've never been contacted out of the blue based on my LinkedIn profile, but it played an indirect role in my changing jobs. I noticed a former co-worker had gone to work for my new employer, and it was a place that 3 other connectins also worked for, so I sent him a congrats on the new job, mentioned I knew a few other folks who worked over there, and we got to talking an he mentioned there was a job opening I'd be perfect for, and things just progressed from there.

Devilsbane

Ah, its under the profile section and not the security section.

Thanks