Linkedining

I recall using a meta search engine dogpile.com some 7(?) years ago. There were so many search engines at that time that it was the way to go. Then somebody mentioned to me that Google was his favorite, it was better than others. I tried it and used since.

Once upon a time somebody used "google" as a verb somewhere for the first time ever. Google became a household name and everybody is googling nowadays.

The other day it happened to me to use "linkedin" as a verb and also "linkedining" in one of my answers to questions on LinkedIn. It was just fitting so well there.

As I never saw it before, for a moment I thought that I was a pioneer ;-)

Then I googled "linkedining" and discovered 6 entries with this word which means that it is not a novelty at all.

So, "linkedin" is a word now. My spell check forces me to correct it all the time, but I am linkedining anyway ;-)

http://www.linkedin.com/in/olgakellen

Who Knows You on LinkedIn?

I have just come across a quote from David Perry, executive director of a recruiting firm and author of the Guerrilla Marketing series of books.

He says in the Ottawa Business Journal: "In the old days, it was what you knew. Then it was who you knew. Now, it is who knows you".

Building LinkedIn network just fits exactly this "who knows you" idea, right?

While you are asleep, more and more professionals out of 14 million of LinkedIn members, including potential business partners and clients, hiring managers and recruiters, get to know you.

As I am l looking for interesting projects in Internet Research, Internet Marketing, International Business, Translation and Localization, I am building a rather versatile LinkedIn network of professionals from various countries and industries.

So, who knows me on LinkedIn?

http://www.linkedin.com/in/olgakellen

My LinkedIn Direct Connections Analysis

I deliver as promised - here is a snapshot of countries and industries of my first degree LinkedIn connections.

I took the first 100 of them for this little research. They are presented in the alphabetical order on my LinkedIn contact page, so sorry guys with the names at the end of the alphabet - you are not included ;-(

My LinkedIn direct connections are located in the following countries:

62% - USA
9% - Canada
9% - Western Europe
7% - UK
4% - Asia
3% - India
3% - Middle East
2% - Eastern Europe
1% - South America

It looks like LinkedIn is quite international, but about 70% North American and about 20% European, with the rest of the world accounting for about 10%.

My direct LinkedIn connections represent the following industries:

30% - IT, Computers, Internet
16% - Staffing, Recruiting, Human Resources
9% - Finance, Accounting, Banking
9% - Education, Training, Coaching
9% - Management Consulting, Industries Consulting
7% - Marketing, Advertizing
6% - Publishing, Writing/Editing, Translations
4% - PR, Communications
3% - Pharmaceuticals
3% - Real Estate
1% - Legal Services
1% - Government Administration
1% - Retail
1% - Health, Wellness, Fitness

It looks like IT specialists are dominating here, and Recruiters who search for them, are the second largest LinkedIn group.

I would like to add that there is a current problem with LinkedIn definition of industries. Members are allowed to choose just one industry they think they belong to, but many of us belong to two or more at the same time. For example, a person lists herself in "Pharmaceuticals", but at the same time she is actually doing marketing of the pharmaceutical products, but cannot list herself in "Marketing" too. Or he lists as "Banking" doing recruiting for banking industry in reality, but there is no possibility to add "Recruiting", etc. It would be nice to have this freedom of showing all our skills in various industries to be available for potential searches instead of being limited to just one industry.

As for one, I would like to list myself in "Research", "Internet Marketing" and "Translation", but right now I have no such option. There is a rumor that LinkedIn guys are working on this issue. Hopefully, they will get it straight some time soon.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/olgakellen

LinkedIn Connections

I have been on LinkedIn for 5 months and the number of my direct connections approaches 150. They were mostly made through Questions/Answers area. I mean when I answer somebody's question, very often he/she asks me to get connected to discuss the matter further, or I ask for the same. I answer questions in the fields of my expertise in self-publishing, small business and Internet marketing. I also answer some general and polling questions when the topic is interesting for me and I have time.

According to some theories, 150 is considered the right number of connections to manage in somebody's personal network. I do not believe this is true for Internet connections though. Those are not people with whom I meet for coffee, it does not take up too much of my time to maintain the Internet connections. I make sure that I answer their questions on LinkedIn and emails in my inbox as fast as I can, that's about it.

I have 50,000+ of the second degree connections and 2,500,000+ of the third degree connections. It's amazing to think of how many professionals around the globe I am able to reach out now.

There is a useful LinkedIn feature called "Introductions". When you look at somebody's profile who is not in your direct connections, but in your 2nd or 3rd degree connections, you always see a path to this person through your connections. If you have any interest to get in touch with this person on LinkedIn, you send an email through this path asking participants to forward your email further to reach the person of interest. It works, if participants pay attention and forward as asked. I received an inquiry this way myself and also forwarded.

There was a discussion on LinkedIn how to deal with such introductory emails. Some members think that they are supposed to forward introductory emails only in case if they are in a position to recommend the person who asks to be introduced to somebody else. I do not think so and just do forwarding as asked. It is their own business I guess why they want or do not want to talk to each other, it is up to the end recipient to decide whether he/she wants to accept the introduction or not. It is the Internet, I am not giving away somebody's home address after all ;-)

It is interesting to see where my first degree connections come from. I mean countries and industries. Being a generalist myself, having changed countries and industries several times, I am inclined to build a network rich in diversity.

I will do the analysis of my network and post the results soon.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/olgakellen