I don't know what the author thought they'd get out of the relationship. LI has to make money, and as a non-recruiter/non-professional account I accept the occa

I don't know what the author thought they'd get out of the relationship. LI has to make money, and as a non-recruiter/non-professional account I accept the occasional undesired recruiting email or unsolicited accounts from strangers as part of the price paid. It's a nice way to have a networked resume, and I have never gotten a job through it but have gotten several high-quality inquiries that I would have pursued if circumstances at the time had not been different. I don't expect it to magically connect me with people I don't know or to afford me access to insights of business thought leaders. The dynamic of those two (working with great people that you mutually respect for networking, and building relationships over time with mentors to earn their trust and insights) will not change substantially with technology, LinkedIn or otherwise. It only reflects those connections, it doesn't create them. As a networked resume, again, it's perfectly adequate.