More About Social Networking - Post 2

So OISE 2009, it has been a couple of weeks since you have updated your blog, what have you been up to?

I have been working on understanding better matters specific to social networking sites. As part of this exercise I have been focused on both Facebook and LinkedIn. Facebook, I am sure most are familiar with as it receives a significant amount of press. LinkedIn however, is a social (business) networking site that is somewhat less well known and has been organized to assist (business) users in maintaining existing business relationships and establishing new business relationships. If you are interested in learning more about LinkedIn you may wish to visit the site.

http://www.linkedin.com/

OISE 2009 what have you (personally) found to be interesting or helpful about LinkedIn – this interest did not show up in your initial posting?

There are a couple of aspects specific to this site that are particularly interesting. First, LinkedIn does represent a useful tool for identifying and profiling business contacts who might have been previously unknown. For example, in my role at the Oracle Corporation I am responsible for planning, executing and completing software sales initiatives in at a diverse set of organizations. One of the more challenging aspects of this role is to identify the correct person to address at an organization with respect to initiating and developing a conversation specific to current organizational business problems or challenges. Very often I can I can quickly identify key business contacts using the resources of LinkedIn (for example, Software Architect, Data Management Specialist, Senior Programmer, Director of Information Technology) by simply examining the profiles for the contacts listed as being employed by a specific business or organization. The use of LinkedIn does simplify my job somewhat and removes some of the “up front” effort that was previously required to identify and then cultivate meaningful business relationships.

OISE 2009 is there more about LinkedIn that you found interesting and could share with us?

There is. Think about this. When establishing a LinkedIn profile registrants at are encouraged to provide information specific to not just their current job role and interests but also their job history and education. It is almost like a mini resume and can be very revealing (this is a very interesting trend). This information can be invaluable when working on (quickly) developing a meaningful business relationship. Think about this, in my role at Oracle more often than not I am calling people of interest with no prior introduction (this would be known as a cold call) or referral. With the information (job title, job history, education, interests) that is very often available at LinkedIn I can be so much better prepared to initiate and maintain a meaningful conversation. Leveraging the resources of LinkedIn can very often make the difference between a successful and unsuccessful sales call – and this is extremely important.

OISE 2009 I will visit LinkedIn and learn more about the site. I am curious however, to know more about how the information that is provided at LinkedIn may be leveraged by individuals such as yourself. Did you find any evidence that others are utilizing the resources of LinkedIn in a related or similar manner?

David Thew (Joint Managing Director, Intelligent Resources Ltd) has recently published an article specific to his use of LinkedIn for the purposes of assisting him in managing his executive recruitment business. I found this article to be very interesting – I am sure you will find it interesting as well.

http://bir.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/25/2/87
LinkedIn — a user's perspective

Using new channels for effective business networking
David Thew
Intelligent Resources Ltd, david@intelligentresources.com

Blogs, mailing lists and networking sites are much in the news, but how effective are they for business users? David Thew is Joint MD of an executive search and recruitment consultancy with an active need to identify and contact people on a targeted basis. In this article he profiles LinkedIn, the business networking membership site that has become a key channel for him and his staff. David looks at key features and benefits and also discusses areas where he feels there is room for improvement.
Key Words: business networks • executive search • online networking • search and ranking