This week we will discuss who and what you can, must, should and should
not connect with online. Connecting with the right people can get you far when
you are looking for you first job. At
the same time, at some social media sites it is just as easy to connect with
people of no use – especially on LinkedIn.
Have you ever considered exactly how LinkedIn is used? Many people connect with friends, former class mates, family etc. as if it were their Facebook account. However, LinkedIn is a business social media site, so no need to connect with your high school sweetheart there – do that on Facebook.
A simple advice is to think about for what reasons you are on each of the different social media sites. LinkedIn is for business perspectives. Only connect with people you know and trust, people being business connections, friends, colleagues or former class mates that all can help you in your career by introducing you to some of their other connection – not friends and former class mates you want to stay in touch with.
People that you want to stay in touch with, whether that being acquaintances, former class mates, friends etc. are reserved for Facebook. This is where you can socialize and stay up to date on your Facebook friends’ lives.
People that you want to stay in touch with, whether that being acquaintances, former class mates, friends etc. are reserved for Facebook. This is where you can socialize and stay up to date on your Facebook friends’ lives.
Another issue that we have repeated throughout the past months is to think about who you connect with. Do not connect with every single person you meet. Choose your connections carefully – at the end it is for your own protection.
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This is all very good advice! I guess we all need to be reminded about the purpose and the niche of each social media channel, it is easy to mix them all together. But as a student, would you consider it irrelevant to link with your whole class on linkedin? I’m just thinking that it might be hard to know now, who might be a good professional connection in the future. And having a connection with people on linkedin is a good way to stay “in touch” without actually having a lot of contact.
ReplyDeleteI believe you can connect with your college classmates if you are pursuing related jobs. Personally, I see no need to connect on LinkedIn with a classmate who wants to be a kindergarten teacher but I would connect with a classmate who is looking for a job within the business world like I am.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I think too many see LinkedIn as another Facebook where quantity is preferred over quality when it comes to connections.
That is also why I think connecting with someone you trust is a good rule to follow.