What’s the Point of Linkedin?

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Jay F Guin

About every 3 seconds, someone sends me an invitation to join their “business network” on Linkedin. And being an obliging sort of guy, I oblige them.

So far, all that happens is I get more invitations to join someone’s business network. And sometimes I get a birthday reminder. So what’s the point?

I understand Facebook — more or less. I’m on Facebook. I read about my family’s and friend’s cats and breakfast choices on Facebook. Also important stuff like who is getting a divorce, who lost a family member, who’s in the hospital … stuff like that. That’s useful.

But Linkedin eludes me. I mean, some stranger who sells paper products adds me to his business network — and so I’m supposed to buy his stuff? Because I get birthday reminders on him?

And I can’t tell you how surprised I was when they went public and raised a whole bunch of money just so I can spend my time recreating Outlook Contacts on their servers. Which takes me back to my original question: what’s the point? I already have ways to communicate with my business network: the telephone and email. And since my business contacts really don’t care what cute thing my cat did this morning, why should I be on Linkedin? What am I missing?

About Jay F Guin

My name is Jay Guin, and I’m a retired elder. I wrote The Holy Spirit and Revolutionary Grace about 18 years ago. I’ve spoken at the Pepperdine, Lipscomb, ACU, Harding, and Tulsa lectureships and at ElderLink. My wife’s name is Denise, and I have four sons, Chris, Jonathan, Tyler, and Philip. I have two grandchildren. And I practice law.
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6 Responses to What’s the Point of Linkedin?

  1. Price says:
    June 21, 2011 at 8:39 pm

    Many people use it as a way to network the job market…Some friends have found it useful advertising…But, I’m with you… except that I intend to use it as my company goes international because I don’t have a large warm market in other countries…Might change my mind….:)

  2. Matt Dowling says:
    June 21, 2011 at 8:43 pm

    I’m with you Jay. I’ve found it to be much less helpful than others. Of course, when I ask others why they find it useful, they mention the connection aspect. But when I ask them what those connections have done for them, I’ve yet to get a productive response. I’m not sure I get it either.

  3. David P Himes says:
    June 21, 2011 at 9:03 pm

    Think of it as documenting Six degrees of separation. It’s a way of discovering connections to people and/or companies, which you did not know you have. So, it’s a way of expanding my business network, by having some view of who my network knows.

  4. JMF says:
    June 22, 2011 at 12:02 am

    As well, Jay, think of it as a way to define Jay Guin in a web search. If you don’t define yourself, you’ll be defined however Google wants you defined…and that may be through an article about a huge case you lost, etc.

    LinkedIn, etc. have great rank. So I google “Jay Guin” and all of those silly sites take up the first two pages. I’d have to dig deep to find negative stuff… and the first page of Google is all that counts — everyone knows that.

  5. Alan says:
    June 22, 2011 at 7:17 am

    Well, you could use it to research your potential new boss before you decide to take a new job.

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