PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING BLOG OF

Howard Earle Halpern MA CPRW

TORONTO • ONTARIO • CANADA

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Site revised March 19, 2007

What I'm Doing at LinkedIn ®

DISCLAIMER: This is not an official website of LinkedIn, the world's largest professional network with over 9,000,000 members. I am merely one of those members. The official site is accessible at LinkedIn.com.

Background

When I joined LinkedIn (LI) on Jan. 25, 2007, I had no idea what I was getting into. Sheilah Etheridge from Alaska—no typo, that's the correct spelling—one of LI's key contributors, took great interest in welcoming me and helping me get started.

On the "Answers" page I found questions to which I believed I had something positive to contribute. I began providing information, was awarded by one kind member for offering "expertise," and was thus motivated to continue.

I soon realized that not only could I provide answers to questions; I could ask them too. And was surprised how quickly and frequently members responded. Whereupon I felt obligated to spend time carefully evaluating the input these members had given, so that I could, in turn, recognize others for their expertise.

Then I started receiving all kinds of private messages from people—good ones—and made several online friends. Furthermore, people I know personally whom I'd invited a month ago are now joining, and they equally deserve my attention.

The upshot of all this is that I'm way over my head.

My LinkedIn ® Strategy

Some say it's better to draw a huge number of people into your immediate circle first and worry about quality later. Others prefer to ensure quality at the outset. I'm trying to strike a balance between the two, for reasons I think are obvious (not to demean those who operate at either extreme).

There's no right way. My strategy is tailored to the social context of my personal and professional life, in consideration of the specific goals I wish to achieve through networking both online and offline.

To this end, I expend significant time and effort promoting LinkedIn to good people I know personally.

The upshot of this is that I'm even more over my head.

Update

As a result, I am behind in thanking the people who joined my network. I would like to thank all of you personally, and I will. Ultimately, I believe it's important to know something about those you let into your immediate circle. To this end, I send everybody a short introduction that captures the essence of who I am.

Here is an adaptation of that piece:

I have an immediate circle of 72, many of them individuals I met in person. I derive immense joy from seeing the good in others. Thus, despite having joined LI only on Jan. 25, 2007, I already endorsed 16 members (please see profile linked below; statistics accurate as of this writing). I participate actively in "Answers."
I am a published writer and poet, Certified Professional Resume Writer, therapeutic counselor, web developer, and search engine optimizer. Google "writer toronto" and I am there.

My involvement in professional networking dates back to 1988, when I invented the Business-Card Resume (TM). The following year, I began to develop and market this concept. In 1990, I established Résu-Card as a business name, and it's now one of my registered trademarks (Canada and US).
Having practiced yoga since 1969, I traveled extensively throughout India. Also extensively in Canada and US; to England, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.
In the interest of not boring my fellow members, I attempted to write a profile Summary that is both hard-hitting and distinctive. Whereof I am open to constructive comment. You may find it at LinkedIn.com/in/Halpern.

If you would like more information, I suggest starting with my Biography. I have created many web pages on diverse subjects. Most of them are linked, directly or indirectly, from this biography.

Email

Please send message via "OpenLink" (free to all) at top of my LinkedIn Profile. It takes only a minute to sign in!