Following my previous post, which was about my entrenched opposition to using Facebook at work, I can blog about LinkedIn with a refreshing lack of prejudice.
Having looked around the LinkedIn site and read the article from State Library of Ohio, I found it attractive, chiefly due to a sense of purpose. LinkedIn knows what it's there for. It's there for business, with just enough personal chat to make it friendly.
I have no idea whether it's an effective means of business communication: few of my friends had heard of it. One friend was actually on it, she was advised to join after completing a Skills for Enterprise course. She hasn't actually gained any clients from it but finds it is a useful way of seeing what's going on in her world of small business start up and connecting with other professionals (= competitors) in her local area. I would certainly look at it when updating my CV, you can see the language people are currently using to describe their jobs and activities.
But even more useful would be LinkedInLibrarians, just for librarians/information sector workers or whatever. It may even exist, or there may be something out there that performs the same role. Anyone know of anything? I know there are Facebook groups, web pages, Twitter etc but I do prefer the professional style of LinkedIn.
Celine and I have discussed networking sites/forums for librarians and information professionals briefly here: http://maedchenimmond.blogspot.com/2010/07/this-whole-earth-may-be-bored.html In summary: the new LIS New Professionals Network is good, but what about people who aren't new?!
ReplyDeleteThe CILIP group on Linkedin is worth a look.
ReplyDeleteSo you have! Thanks for pointing this out. I really enjoy the LIS new professionals site. Even though I'm not new and don't really care about the 'professional' label, it has an energy and sense of purpose that is very refreshing.
ReplyDelete