While I am an occasional user of LinkedIn, it’s last on the list of social media networks (SMN) that I maintain. LinkedIn just does not deliver the same experience as the others, but initially I wasn’t sure why. After some time however, I realized my apathy toward the site was because it more closely resembled a cube farm than a conversation.
Anderson Analytics recently determined that the average age of a LinkedIn user is around 36, yet 61% of active users are under the age of 35. Furthermore, women lead as active participants in each network aside from LinkedIn. They also found that LinkedIn is most populated by men aged 25-54. While I do meet their “prime” age bracket, and am an active user of several SMNs, the LinkedIn experience doesn’t appeal to me, and I’m not alone. In their recent redesign, Mashable, “The Social Media Guide,” removed LinkedIn from the Social Media section of their website, replacing it with a YouTube category. Who can blame them when their hottest story involving LinkedIn this year was the announcement of a partnership with Twitter? Looking at some key aspects of the LinkedIn experience it becomes easy to see how LinkedIn is catering to a narrow crowd.
The first thing you’ll need when you log-in is a picture; better make sure it’s a good one though, as you will see plenty of it. As you build a profile you are given a “percent complete” score, and a better score supposedly makes you easier to find. But, what it uses to determine my level of completeness is a mere fraction of what makes a true LinkedIn profile. As a result, I am given a constant reminder that my experience rates a solid B compared to what a LinkedIn user should be. Giving younger users the same impression as if they were applying for a job beyond their qualifications is not a welcoming atmosphere.
Transactions dominate the LinkedIn universe and it feels as much a game as it is a social experience. A common criticism of Millennials is that we were given too many trophies in our youth for simply participating in activities. In grade school we got gold stars for answering questions; on LinkedIn the gold star lives on–and it’s given as a reward to the best at answering someone’s question. And here I’ve been answering people’s questions for free on Facebook for years. Stars which signify “expertise” in a particular field are being used to subsidize altruism by LinkedIn members. Yet Millennials have been shown most altruistic in causes that are local and close to home for us. Personally, I would rather continue to help folks I am familiar with (unrewarded), than play the LinkedIn game for a virtual trophy.
Lastly, the interactions on LinkedIn don’t feel authentic to me. To connect, two professional entities must first consent to disclose their secured information. They can then review each other’s references and selected widgets. The vast majority of my interactions on LinkedIn end there. Whenever I receive a message in my inbox, it is usually someone asking for a favor. Not a very dynamic experience. We who grew up with instant messages and chat rooms won’t dedicate our time to a one dimensional network. The recent opening up of the network’s API and Twitter integration are evidence of this sentiment, that LinkedIn is not good enough on its own.
No matter how many chances I give LinkedIn, after I sign on to confirm a connection request or to update my Amazon reading list (my favorite feature) I see no reason to stick around. Admittedly, I have focused solely on aspects which confirm LinkedIn as a bronze competitor, and I know there are a strong number of you that disagree. Does the LinkedIn experience appeal to you?
Photo Credit: nanpalmero
I've just started to think of LinkedIn as an online resume, with a few extra features. I find that it comes in handy when I'm applying for a job — I'll see if I can find the person and see if any of their information (organizations, past jobs, etc.) is public, just to get a better idea of their background. I could do that on Google or Facebook, sure, but Google takes a lot more combing through random pages, and I'm never quite sure if I've got the right person by that name, and Facebook is less work-oriented. It's helpful in an interview to bring up where the interviewer worked or went to school in the past — it's less helpful to bring up their love of mac 'n cheese (unless, I suppose, it's informal and I really enjoy mac 'n cheese, too). It's also nice to see if I have any common connections with the person I'm interviewing with — just bringing up that common link can help, and maybe that person can put in a good word for you.
Great Point Angela, I have heard that it's a great tool in Job searching. Having been on the market myself last year for a while, I did even manage to score an interview through a LinkedIn Application (did not get the job). I would recommend to all job seekers that they have a profile, especially with the new Resume upload feature. I would also recommend that anyone capable of doing so create their own hosted online portfolio (website). It takes a lot more effort (and a moderate amount of $), but it frees you from the Baby Blue confines of LinkedIn and allows prospective employers to know more about you as a person. That being said, I am a strong supporter of cyber-stalking for fun & profit and LinkedIn is the most stalker friendly of the SMNs (and why I do still use it)
Hey Scott – Interesting post.
I've been on LinkedIn for a few years, but my profile had just been collecting dust. I just added a profile pic a couple months ago, and updated my profile. I have a few connections from colleagues and associates who find me, but I wouldn't go as far as saying I'm active on LinkedIn.
I think the issue most younger people have with LinkedIn is that it doesn't fit in in the social media crowd. Facebook is the popular kid. Twitter is the heartthrob. MySpace is the edgy, offbeat kid. LinkedIn is kind of like the school counselor who tries to fit in with all the other kids.
Gen Y goes onto LinkedIn with a ton of experience using other SM, and expects it to be the same, but it's not. It has a different purpose, different rules of engagement, and a different experience.
None of which are geared towards Gen Y…
I definitely agree with you about the interactions on LinkedIn not being as authentic (as shown by the massive amounts of Q&A that are just marketing in disguise).
But lately I have found a lot of value in LinkedIn for personally connecting me to someone who works at a particular company. If I know someone who knows someone, or share a group with someone who works at that company, I have an “in” per se–although I still present myself in the most authentic way possible when talking to that person.
Also, say what you will about their encouraging you to be a “full” paying LinkedIn member, but they are making money, which is more than you can say about other social networks.
I've been using LinkedIn more, especially since graduation is approaching in a few months and I want to appear professional since anyone can see my information on there. The “who's viewed my profile” section always interests me even though the descriptions are usually vague. I recently did a major LinkedIn makeover and updated my resume. After finishing it felt like I just tackled spring cleaning. A couple years back we had a guest speaker in one of my advertising classes and she said that sometimes employers will call in someone for an interview and have nothing but a printout of their LinkedIn resume. If that's what some people use for hiring, than I'm going to take my LinkedIn seriously so it's a reflection of my best work.
@Angela I think you've got LinkedIn pegged about right. It is a good online resume. It seems that nobody really cares about connecting with you on LinkedIn unless they find themselves unemployed… then, all you are connected to are out-of-work buddies. Nice to stay connected and I help anyone I can, but it has that “cubicle” feel whereas Facebook and twitter all have a casual conversational feel. But, it is like a Franklin planner or a subscription to the WSJ; people of a certain age expect you to have one and so there it is. The real stuff happens on the blogs, though.
Thats very true, Twitter made some quick cash but it's not a true revenue stream. If I had to buy stock in any of the “Big 3″ SMNs, LinkedIn would definitely be the smartest buy.
I am in dire need of a LinkedIn Makeover myself! I like the who's viewed my profile (50% of the time you can figure it out) and that is a great feature I overlooked here (Counter-Stalking!)
One thing that we as Gen Yers have to consider: The target market for LinkedIn (males 25-54) are usually the hiring managers. Let's face it. I've been recruited on LinkedIn just as much as I have on Twitter – but the audiences have differed, although the type of jobs haven't.
Just having a profile to have one isn't the best approach – make sure it's fleshed out and use it as a tool. It has a long way to go, but it's probably one of the easier ones to use.
Hi Scott, I think you may be missing the point with Linked In. I do agree with you that it isn't a pure SM experience in terms of “here's what I'm doing now” or other media that encourages the “conversation.” It is however a fantastic networking tool. Serving as a resume that operates in real time, validates who you are, your experience, and recommendations to prospects or potential business connections. Plus, it's also a bit of an aggregator that displays recent tweets, Facebook comments and slide share presentations. So its fairly comprehensive and can be as current as the user wants it to be.
From a networking perspective, you're able to search by peoples title or company giving you a great advantage, especially with finding new contacts or in's to other companies through 1st, and 2nd connections who work there. I also agree with the sites security aspects of viewing connections. Its a simple way of protecting that privacy until the two parties have gained some trust in one another. After all, the main idea of the site is to share each others business connections through networking. Linked In is just another component in your personal social media portfolio, it just happens to fall into the business category, like flickr is about sharing images, and facebook is primarily about friends. As with all of them, its how you use it and how often, that will prove where you can see or reap its benefits.
I hate LinkedIn for all of Scott's reason, plus a few extra:
- It lets you friend people by email who aren't on LinkedIn. Therefore LinkedIn thinks I have two separate accounts and I can't figure out how to fix it. I've also friended people who apparently didn't have a LinkedIn account at all. This makes everyone confused.
- Unless you're actively searching for a job, no one maintains their LinkedIn page. It's not a reliable source of information on anyone, even if it is entirely public.
- Twitter is 100x more useful for making professional connections. Executives only have time to read 140 characters anyway and they are far more likely to remember you. Send them a haiku version of your resume.
And what is a reliable source of information on anyone? Their resume? If some people can write a bunch of BS on their linked in page then I’m sure they can do it on their resumes too.
LinkedIn has tricked me into spamming countless friends and members of my family (Sorry Grandma!). And I agree dead on with Twitter being much better despite the 140 character limit. With the character limit you cut the BS and people are just are more friendly (or rather unfriendly people are easily swept aside)
I definitely see where you're coming from on this, as far as the real time resume. I just feel that allot of what people have on their resume is fluff (just like in the real world I suppose). I want to be engaged not solicited. I will be the first to admit that I don't use it enough to give it a fair judgement. But my point was that unlike Twitter and Facebook where after an initial “warming period” where I was cautious and reserved on the networks, I never hit a point with LinkedIn where I was compelled to log-in. Many people my age (who aren't job hunting) simply aren't active users of the network, and I think the recent trend of features and redesigns by LinkedIn are being made to try and win us over. I'm not condemning LinkedIn to Social Media Pariah status, I'm just saying it has a way to go until I find myself late for something because I “got lost” in LinkedIn. Thanks for the in depth comment, the feedback is much appreciated!
One's LinkedIn use is heavily defined by that person's need. Most freshmen and sophomores don't have a profile. Then junior year comes, you go to all these seminars, webinars and all kinds of other events that tell you to open a LinkedIn profile because that is how you supposedly get jobs nowadays. So you do it. It just sits there until senior year when you panic about finding a job and start an entire campaign on building an online presence and establishing a personal brand. Then you put pretty much everything you have done on your profile, ask for recommendations, invite all your e-mail contacts all in hopes that you can get a job, or find someone who can get you a job, or find someone who knows someone who can get you a job. You finally get a job, update your profile with your new position and forget about LinkedIn until a few years ahead when you are looking for a job again. Sometimes that extends to opening profiles in other “professional social networks” such as Xing and Brand New Talent, although I don't know why they are called social networks but…
I rarely get on LinkedIn, although I have a completed and current profile. I update my status through HootSuite. Every once in a while I answer a question or join a group and that is about it.
Well, women recently over took men in work place dominance (but who knows if they'll keep it after economic recovery). I think many Gen Y ladies are emphasizing career over family, so I wouldn't be surprised if the gender ratio on hiring managers starts to equal out over time. But hands down LinkedIn is the best network to use for job seekers, recruiters, or hiring managers.
Touche on the profile, Guilty as charged!
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Another good point: I never would have joined LinkedIn if a Boomer hadn't forced me to
[...] Go here to see the original: Why LinkedIn Makes Me Want to Puke | The Next Great Generation [...]
Linkedin has a terrible interface, set up to get you to make mistakes and send emails to everyone you've ever met so they can push themselves on ever more people who dont' want any part of it. And yet, we put up with it! And when you make a mistake, they give you no way to stop, no way of knowing how it happened, no way to make it better and then, to make matters worse, you've told them it's okay to access your contacts but now they are harrassing your friends and acquaintances in your name and you try to delete the emails from your account but they go back to gmail and get them again and how can you stop all this? I have no idea and so little time to figure it out and that is what they arecounting one. Ugh, I've been slimed bu Linkedin
I just sent LinkedIn an email. I am mad because they used my email to make an account themselves. Then they just added friends (who found me without me knowing). To turn of notifications i have to login to my unwanted account. I don't want to do this because it would seem like i acknowledge the account. Strange marketing techniques, which definitely does not make me want to join,
Accidentally found this article and can see LinkedIn is actively p*****g people off! I signed on to Linked in some time back but only recently have begun using them with any regularity. Apparently there's some “attitude” about not having a “complete profile” and I have found myself FLAGGED in the Q&A area on a variety of occasions allegedly for “inappropriate content” and “misrepresentation”. I don't get it. People are asking questions and I'm answering. There is nothing inappropriate or misrepresentative about anything I'm saying and now it is clear to me that there are a number of so-called “professionals” that simply recognize themselves in my commentary or there are former bosses/co-workers with axes to grind who recognize my profile. I just posted this commentary on their site TODAY and it was INSTANTLY removed. So now it is clear to me that they have made up their mind to remove ANYTHING I say. Obviously the right to free speech doesn't exist in LinkedIN if somebody just doesn't like you or you aren't “politically correct”. Anybody know of a professional website…and I mean truly professional website, i.e. respecting First Amendment rights and all – that is worth joining???? I don't flame, swear or abuse other members by the way…..and the e-mail listed is correct despite the auto-response to the contrary. Just trying to keep junk to a minimum.