Linked-In

[hausdok]

Can someone here make me understand how this linked-in thing is supposed to work?

Long ago someone sent me an invite to linked in. I accepted it and filled out a little profile. I wasn't sure what I was doing but I figured, what the hell.

I'll occasionally get notices that people have linked to my profile there but really don't know what that means and don't know what, if anything, I'm expected to do about it.

Recently, people have begun endorsing me for stuff. Sometimes on one day I'll get ten or twelve emails from the same person's profile tellling me that he/she has endorsed me for stuff. What's so confusing, and irritating, about it is that they endorse me for stuff that I have no expertise at and don't want to have any expertise at - stuff like Mold - and I don't know what, if anything, I'm supposed to do about it.

At this point, I don't really see that there is any value in it and I'm about to delete my profile from it altogether.

Can anyone explain what benefit that site is to me; and, if it is of some benefit, provide a basic UNDERSTANDABLE EXPLANATION of what one is expected to do there?

Thanks.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

P.S.

Might just as well say the same thing about Facebook - another site I just don't get.

[inspector57]

Simply networking with people you know. You should go to the site and edit your profile. This is part of social networking like twitter or Facebook. Some of your clients will see you there and endorse you as having knowledge in a particular area which is the notifications you are getting. The more accurate you make your profile the more beneficial to you and the less inaccuracies there will be in the future. Some business professionals use this like the yellow pages.

[hausdok]

Thanks,

It would be good if it were former clients. It's not; it's home inspectors and accountants and other business folks - many of whom don't hang out here (that I know of) and I've never met or talked to. How does one endorse someone one has never met for a skill?

Are they expecting me to reciprocate? Still not "getting" it.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Bill Kibbel]

I don't quite get Linked-In either.

Facebook is where I get to see 2/3 of my school-mates are grandparents now and the other 3rd are dead.

[Nolan Kienitz]

Linked In is just a social networking item that seemed to be more professional/business oriented ... as compared to Facebook. Now they keep hounding me to upgrade to their PRO status ... just another attempt to reach into my wallet. NOPE!!!

I happen to have both, but tend to keep a very low profile on both.

I really don't like "any" of the social networking sites.

I think it is just my 'maturing' age factor as well.

At least on Facebook I've come across some former classmates and I can ditto BK's number of alive/passed on. I was digging around on FB today and ran across some old images that a former classmate had posted of my grandparents and my mom and her two sisters back on the farm in Montana ... many long years ago. Nice picture to see.

[Chad Fabry]

I've landed a dozen or so inspections from Linked In- from my past clients' connections.

[Erby]

I've gotten inspections from both Facebook and Linked In. Don't always do much with it, but I'll take the jobs.

[Scottpat]

I get litigation work off Linked-in and a few home inspections. One key is to try and link with folks outside of your own profession, build a network with other professionals.

[Jerry Simon]

I've gotten inspections from both Facebook and Linked In. Don't always do much with it, but I'll take the jobs.

I got a few requests from old girlfriends off Facebook. Didn't do much with them, either. Quit Facebook the next week.

Happily married 35 years next April, and plan to stay that way.

[kurt]

It's a business network, not social. At our level (I'm the same as you...simple profile), we get hits for networking. At the next level, where you pay, it gets you inside a few additional doors.

At least, that's how Hanson explained it when I asked the same question last year.