Think Before You Link

In her Work in Progress blog, Lexi says LinkedIn is just another nuisance commitment, another thing to do—and a way to hear from people you had hoped you’d left behind.

Ideally, it is a means of connecting with like-minded professionals, which is how the alums in my first post saw it. I can see Lexi’s point, though. LinkedIn could be a grand opportunity for pests to expand their prowess and become even more annoying. And it is another thing to manage. Still, that should be far easier for you Millennials and Gen Y-ers than for this Baby Boomer. My first exposure to YouTube was on Oprah, so I am roughly 576 years behind electronically.

I do think LinkedIn has some flaws, and perhaps those of you with more technological expertise—read: all of you—can help. I can only list one school as an alma mater, so I listed Drake, as that is where I got my Master’s, my last degree. I would like to also add my undergraduate school, but am flummoxed about how to do it. Also, listing previous jobs is confusing. On my profile, you might think I was director of the SJMC since 1984.

And, is there a way to unlink folks eventually? Say I was really pleased my boss invited me to join her network three years ago, but she ended up being a real pill and I now want nothing to do with her. Can I delete that invitation, or is it permanent, because it is on her profile?

Still, any tool properly managed can be helpful. So, how to keep electronic networking in check? Basic common sense usually works in my book. As my dad always said: THINK $%#@!*&%$#@!*! And that was pretty much the way he said it.

A few tips on proper use of LinkedIn—and any other similar sites that might pop up:

• The basic underlying rule here is: Use the same logic and manners online as you would in person.

• When you want someone to be a reference for you, ask them first. Don’t surprise them. They shouldn’t have to learn of their role in your job search when they start getting calls. LinkedIn can be used as a professional reference site, so make sure you’re linking with people who really want you there.

• If you’re asked to join a network of a person you would not have in your physical network, ignore the invitation. You don’t want to be permanently linked in cyberspace to somebody you would do your best to ignore in person. I have read others who disagree with me on this point. For example, Jessica Bennett, writing in Newsweek (November 5, 2007), says this about getting invitations from people you’re unsure about: “On the Web, inaction can speak louder than words, especially if it’s a vague acquaintance who doesn’t know you’ve got better things to do. The safest strategy? Just say yes.” That doesn’t make sense to me, so if any of you can clarify what she means, I would appreciate your perspective.

• LinkedIn might not be the best way to cozy up to the boss, so inviting him to join could be a little too much. That risks getting into annoying territory. Again, you know your boss in actual person, so talk with him about this before you invite him on a middle-of-the-night whim.

• Avoid middle-of-the-night whims. That is one of the huge flaws with online communication—you can send something long before you have thought it through properly. Or, sometimes, at all.

• If your boss invites you to join, join. I would take that invitation, in fact, as a very good sign. This could get dicey if you’re not sure what you think of her or the job. If you ignore her, that could look like an insult or, at the very least, an unprofessional snub. Consider tactfully bringing up the topic in actual physical conversation. How to do that? We’ll cover that in another blog.

• THINK! $%#@!*&%$#@!*