Home
>
Traffic Building
>
What is all the Buzz about LinkedIn and Does It Work?

What is all the Buzz about LinkedIn and Does It Work?

Have you received invitations to join an online networking website? These new websites have created quite a buzz as the next big thing. People brag about having thousands of 'links' on LinkedIn.com. But this article attempts to explain what value, if any, derives from these networks. Basically, people are driven by the system to forge networks with complete strangers. One of the founders of LinkedIN, Konstantin, posted a message on another forum that was filled with idealistic platitudes that do not match the reality of LinkedIn. Here is my response to him.

KONSTANTIN: the feedback our customer service receives indicates quite clearly that most regular business people are taking aback when receiving invitations from strangers.

MIKE: Simply put, those business people do not belong in LinkedIN. People who want to be a remote island and only hear from people they know are not part of a network. They are discrete modules and demonstrate they are ignorant of the value in expanding their network, yes, to complete strangers who have better ideas, fresher ideas, and innovations they have not considered yet.

KONSTANTIN: The practice of inviting other users to connect even though they are strangers is bad for everyone-it undermines among casual users the trust in LinkedIn as a useful tool, and it doesn't help thee sender's reputation either. If not at least 80-90% of existing LinkedIn users accept your invitations, think about what this is doing to your reputation.

MIKE: LinkedIN creates its own frenzy to accumulate strangers into networks by limiting people to see only profiles of those who are in 4 degrees of the user. There are over 3.5 million users of the system, but, for example, I can only reach 2 million of them. What am I missing in the other 1.5 million? I don't have any contacts to top-tier investment banks or hedge funds, and in order to develop even a contact name, I, like every other user of LinkedIN, have to reach out to strangers who have third degree contacts with the type of firms I want to reach.

From the outset, LinkedIN intentionally sought to undermine the value of having only closely affiliated friends and colleagues in a network by limiting the ability of people to see beyond their narrow circle. There is no reason that a general search should not cover EVERY SINGLE profile in LinkedIN. By limiting us to the fourth degree contacts, everyone has an incentive to do whatever is necessary to bring the fourth degree contacts up to the total 3.5 million users if possible.

Again, if there are people who don't want to be contacted, they really have no business joining LinkedIN. It detracts from the rest of us who actually know the value of a network and of networking --- which means expanding the size of one's network.

KONSTANTIN: Other sites have failed to attract a business audience beyond networkers-LinkedIn is the first that appeals to the broad segment of relationship managers. We are trying to create the biggest possible tent and tolerate all behavior that falls within the bounds of the LinkedIn user agreement. Most of our users only invite people they know well. However, if a small minority of 1,000's of users doesn't show respect to the majority of millions and it affects how LinkedIn is perceived by mainstream business users, we will be forced into the awkward position of bouncer to protect our users from people violating the LinkedIn user agreement.

We have VPs or CEOs of 498 of the Fortune 500 on LinkedIn-I don't see them inviting strangers to add some links to their connection. If we want toemulate successful business behavior, let's start by studying those who have made it to the top . . .

MIKE: When someone reaches the level of VP or CEO of a Fortune 500 company, he or she has a built-in network and does not need to use LinkedIN, period. But for the small businessman, and those who aspire to be more than what they are today, then your LinkedIN system distorts preferences to the point that it gives every single user significant incentives to add as many strangers to his network as possible. It is all because you will not allow users to reach out and contact other users directly, and because you limit the results that show up in searches to only four degrees. Honestly Konstantin, did you put ANY thought into the limitations of your system before you launched it on the web? No wonder I have a problem getting many of my past co-workers to join LinkedIN, because they perceive it as a gimmick with no value, since their own narrow circle of friends cannot provide the business opportunities they seek.

Michael is a trilingual (English, German, French) transactional lawyer and financial manager with fifteen years experience and legal expertise in the areas of mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures; securities regulation and hedge fund creation; and deal structuring / business transactions. To further compliment his legal skill set, Michael is an experienced investment banker having worked within the top tier investment banks, namely Credit Suisse First Boston and Deutsche Bank, for an international clientele. He played an instrumental role in developing an index-tracking fund and answered technical questions on fund management marketing calls. He advised clients on pre-IPO investments, stock repurchases, and using structured finance products to manage risk. More recently, he directed the risk management and financial control groups for two trading floors.

See his web page at http://riskmgmt.biz

whole house cleaning Deerfield ..

In The News:

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.

New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALL·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.

What is all the Buzz about LinkedIn and Does It Work?

Traffic Building