3 ms·

I totally get what the author is talking about. However, to provide another perspective on the other side, I have successfully used linkedin more than once (3 t

I totally get what the author is talking about. However, to provide another perspective on the other side, I have successfully used linkedin more than once (3 times) to secure a new opportunity (both fulltime and contract) in the past. 2 of them were passive i.e. I was not really looking that hard but was open to it if it was the right fit for me. Linkedin is just another tool like many others. You have to know how to use it to your advantage or usefulness. Yes there are countless and pointless groups/recruiters who just spam (I get a lot of them as well) but if you create a highly targeted profile, chances are that you also will get invites from good recruiters or professionals in general. The percentage is more like 95% crap, 5% good. I am happy with the 5% part.

mnicole 14y ago
This has been my experience as well. Obviously something else to consider is that the author has held roles at various well-known companies, and from that alone I'd wager the amount of noise he receives is greater than the average Joe. I'll be interested in what the endorsements do in the long-term as well. In my circles, I've already seen a lot of people endorsed for skills they don't have, and it is only getting worse. Because of the way LinkedIn coerces people to endorse, lot of non-technical co-workers of mine have tried endorsing me for things they've never even heard of, assuming that LinkedIn is making this assumption based on something else I have written on my profile, which I think is a big part of the problem.
- codegeek 14y ago
  Yea I totally agree about the endorsement feature. I think it is not working out well. But isn't the endorsement suggestion based on what you list in your profile ? For example, I get endorsements for things that I have listed in my skills keywords.
  - mnicole 14y ago
    I believe initially it does, but I know one of my co-workers was endorsed for a framework he'd never even heard of before and that our co-worker "endorsed because it sounded techie!" I believe you can even add custom ones for other people, as someone tagged me as simply "Front-end", and as a woman that's a little awkward, if not vague in and of itself. I almost wish there was a way for me to approve them, because depending on who the endorsement comes from (i.e. if they are someone I've never even worked with before or like the aforementioned scenario, I don't even work in the same department as that person), it means absolutely nothing and I'd expect smarter employers to pick up on that. I'm already concerned that if it looks like I'm farming endorsements, I won't be taken seriously.
- typicalrunt 14y ago
  What worries me about endorsements the most is that there is no stopping someone from listing a bunch of the hottest skills, and then asking his friends to endorse him for it. At least with the people endorsement you have to write a small blurb about why you are endorsing the person, but with the skills endorsement I just need to click a link.
  - mnicole 14y ago
    Totally agree, and I've seen completely unqualified people that I thought knew better do this and wished there was an (anonymous) opposite-of-endorsement.

mnicole 14y ago

This has been my experience as well. Obviously something else to consider is that the author has held roles at various well-known companies, and from that alone I'd wager the amount of noise he receives is greater than the average Joe. I'll be interested in what the endorsements do in the long-term as well. In my circles, I've already seen a lot of people endorsed for skills they don't have, and it is only getting worse. Because of the way LinkedIn coerces people to endorse, lot of non-technical co-workers of mine have tried endorsing me for things they've never even heard of, assuming that LinkedIn is making this assumption based on something else I have written on my profile, which I think is a big part of the problem.

codegeek 14y ago
Yea I totally agree about the endorsement feature. I think it is not working out well. But isn't the endorsement suggestion based on what you list in your profile ? For example, I get endorsements for things that I have listed in my skills keywords.
- mnicole 14y ago
  I believe initially it does, but I know one of my co-workers was endorsed for a framework he'd never even heard of before and that our co-worker "endorsed because it sounded techie!" I believe you can even add custom ones for other people, as someone tagged me as simply "Front-end", and as a woman that's a little awkward, if not vague in and of itself. I almost wish there was a way for me to approve them, because depending on who the endorsement comes from (i.e. if they are someone I've never even worked with before or like the aforementioned scenario, I don't even work in the same department as that person), it means absolutely nothing and I'd expect smarter employers to pick up on that. I'm already concerned that if it looks like I'm farming endorsements, I won't be taken seriously.
typicalrunt 14y ago
What worries me about endorsements the most is that there is no stopping someone from listing a bunch of the hottest skills, and then asking his friends to endorse him for it. At least with the people endorsement you have to write a small blurb about why you are endorsing the person, but with the skills endorsement I just need to click a link.
- mnicole 14y ago
  Totally agree, and I've seen completely unqualified people that I thought knew better do this and wished there was an (anonymous) opposite-of-endorsement.