Filed under: Comment
I don’t know why, but I like LinkedIn.
Even though its only major achievement has been ensuring I have an endless stream of emails from people wanting a job, I think it’s great.
OK, so I know there are many people who say it’s been extremely beneficial for them and/or their business … plus I know it received a ridiculous [and I mean ridiculous] high stock market evaluation … but in my personal experience, I’ve not had a huge amounts of benefits and yet I like it.
Or should I say I did.
You see earlier today I saw a person on there that I really wanted to connect with.
I didn’t know him. None of the people I know, know him and none of the people I know, know people who know him.
Now normally that doesn’t matter because you just choose the “FRIEND” option on the invite, and your request can zoom off without any issue.
Except they’ve changed that option.
Now you have to enter their email address to prove you’re their friend.
In some respects, I agree and understand that – however they should have made that the rule from the start but because they didn’t, it means my expectations are – in the true sense of networking – that I can connect with whoever I choose and then it’s down to them whether they want to respond.
So with my usual avenue thwarted, I looked for another option.
To see it clearer, click here
There it is … right at the bottom … the “I don’t know them” option.
Perfect and fair enough.
So after writing my introduction to this person I wanted to connect with, I clicked on that option only to get this …
To see it clearer, click here
“INVITATIONS SHOULD ONLY BE SENT TO PEOPLE YOU KNOW PERSONALLY???
What the fuck?
LinkedIn is a networking site … the whole fucking point is that you can connect to people you don’t know personally. If I did know them, don’t you think I’d either have them as a facebook friend or know their fucking email address in the first place.
What a pile of absolute shit.
Seriously, LinkedIn have turned me from a passive fan into an active critic all because of a feature that shouldn’t be there in the first place.
By all means they can change their rules, but they should articulate that to people and explain why they have chosen to do that … however as I said previously, the whole point of a professional networking site is to have the ability to connect to people you don’t know and if they have now decided to put in place a rule where you can only connect to people you know – not even who your friends know – then they have just wiped out their whole reason for being and I fully expect their shareprice to plummet like it’s the last internet bubble bursting into oblivion.
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You’re right Rob. Would you may be able to add that person if you upgraded to a professional account or whatever they call it? Is that what they’re doing?
It’s shortsighted, but hey, they have shareholders to please now. I noticed they’ve became a lot more clingy since the IPO.
Comment by Rafik October 21, 2011 @ 6:19 amany shareholder in linkedin deserves all theyll fucking get (which will be fuck all) for sinking massive piles of cash on that pile of hyped up bollocks.
thats my professional investment advice.
Comment by andy@cynic October 21, 2011 @ 7:05 amMaybe Rafik – but why would I want to?
As I said, it’s not as if LinkedIn has actually done anything specific for me.
In my personal experience, it’s basically an upmarket Facebook and we know people aren’t open to paying to connect with others [as Friends Reunited found out] unless there’s some hugely beneficial reason for them to do that.
In the case of the guy I’m trying to connect with, it is purely to “satisfy my curiosity” in the work they do, nothing more.
The thought of coughing up cash for that privilege is just out of my headspace. Buying them lunch – yes – buying access to their LinkedIn profile – no.
The thing is I’ve been in these situations before – quite a lot actually – and I’ve always found ways around the “system” which I’ve already done with Andrew and already had correspondence back from him which – thankfully – wasn’t “leave me alone, I’m calling the Police”.
I appreciate LinkedIn have to make cash … I appreciate rules change … but as I said in the post, doing it without explaining you’ve done it [or why] creates a desire to beat them … though that might be just me because it would appear ‘satisfying laziness’ generates more cash than ‘producing quality’ these days.
Comment by Rob October 21, 2011 @ 9:00 amno.
Comment by andy@cynic October 21, 2011 @ 9:11 amfucker.
cares.
what.
you.
think.
they.
only.
come.
to.
be.
near.
to.
my.
genius.
and for the fucking record, i only come here in the hope some fucker will want to buy my canadian moneypit because ive just seen the fucking price of fucking nappies and if the little fucker goes through one of those a week, im going to be fucking broke.
Comment by andy@cynic October 21, 2011 @ 9:12 amFor the record, I completely agree with you in thinking it’s a pretty, well, dumb way of going about things.
I was just trying to understand what their reasoning was.But as Andy says, anybody that’s invested in Linkedin when it went public deserves what’s I think is inevitably coming to them.
Comment by Rafik October 21, 2011 @ 11:41 amCould it be that he or she has ticked a box somewhere saying they don’t want to be harassed by gadget-crazed social pariahs?
But have no fear, George will know him or her and may be inclined to help you out.
Comment by Anon October 21, 2011 @ 6:29 amGeorge is the professional social network that people should be wanting to join. Georgein. Doesn’t have a very good ring to it but it sounds better than InGeorge.
Comment by Pete October 21, 2011 @ 6:52 amis that doddsy? it sounds like his sarcastic bastard tones. could be wrong, the fuckers been gone so long i might be mistaking him for every other fucker who snorts in derision at anything campbell spouts.
whatever. good fucking point except auntie might know them but i wow them and thats fucking the vital thing whatever any other fucker says.
Comment by andy@cynic October 21, 2011 @ 7:12 amI must admit that sounds a bit like John but it can’t be because the John Dodds we all know and errrm, quite like … has ignored my emails and SMS’s for 2 weeks and has seemingly decided to become Howard Hughes.
Comment by Rob October 21, 2011 @ 9:02 amignored you for 2 weeks? hes fucking fine then.
Comment by andy@cynic October 21, 2011 @ 9:52 pmA networking site that doesn’t let you network. You’re right Rob, it is stupid but if you use the linkedin iphone app, you can connect with who you want because for some reason, they’ve decided no “rules” apply using that channel.
Comment by Pete October 21, 2011 @ 6:39 amYes, I’d discover that slight flaw in their high security system. It made me feel like a hacker – then I made the mistake of telling Steve that and after laughing hysterically in my face, he showed me what a real hacker could do with LinkedIn’s site and I went away realising I am the no one I’ve always known I am.
Comment by Rob October 21, 2011 @ 9:03 amim fucking amazed steve still acknowledges your fucking existence. for a bad tempered bastard hes very fucking forgiving.
Comment by andy@cynic October 21, 2011 @ 9:13 amI’m stealing his bank passwords.
Comment by ITSTEVE October 21, 2011 @ 9:38 pmyou commented on this shit? what the fuck has happened to you for fucks sake, dont you have government departments to fuck up? when youre done sponging campbells hidden millions come round, i have an internet history folder that desperately needs “cleaning.”
Comment by andy@cynic October 21, 2011 @ 9:56 pmWhen do you do any actual work?
Comment by DH October 21, 2011 @ 6:44 amsome bloke called andrew has written a blog post saying how fucking happy he is linkedin has changed their rules because some planning twat called rob campbell wanted to “connect” to him but the new security settings kept him fucking safe.
Comment by andy@cynic October 21, 2011 @ 7:02 amwhy the fuck is my comment here? when you decide to wake up campbell, move it. i never want to be under dave even on a blog comment.
Comment by andy@cynic October 21, 2011 @ 7:07 amEither do I Andy. Trust me on that.
Comment by DH October 21, 2011 @ 7:16 amLet’s leave it as it is then. I get to upset 2 people for the price of 1. That’s a great deal in my book.
Comment by Rob October 21, 2011 @ 9:04 amwanker.
Comment by andy@cynic October 21, 2011 @ 9:14 amcampbell? work?
are you on the meths dave.
Comment by andy@cynic October 21, 2011 @ 7:08 amI was wondering whether linkedin has helped anyone who comes to this blog. Just interested as my experience with it is similar to Rob’s ie: upmarket digital dm.
Comment by Pete October 21, 2011 @ 6:48 amno fucker cares.
Comment by andy@cynic October 21, 2011 @ 7:06 amLinkedin doesn’t offer the kind of help that’s needed by all the people who visit this blog.
Comment by Anon October 21, 2011 @ 7:29 amguns do.
Comment by andy@cynic October 21, 2011 @ 7:52 amI sometimes wonder what Pete has done that Rob has on tape. Like clockwork the one honest, sensible answer that addresses the post comes from Pete..
What is up with that.. Who are you? Are you a hipster?
Comment by niko October 21, 2011 @ 8:14 amI am being criticized for being sensible? That could only happen on this blog.
Comment by Pete October 21, 2011 @ 8:38 amyoure being criticised (its with a fucking ‘s’) for being fucking the school fucking swat.
Comment by andy@cynic October 21, 2011 @ 8:43 amTo be fair to Niko, there are those pictures of you and the piglets Pete.
Comment by Rob October 21, 2011 @ 9:05 amThen there was the dwarf episode.
Comment by Billy Whizz October 21, 2011 @ 9:35 amIn my previous life, it’s actually been quite useful in identifying who’s the right person to beg for sponsorship money in an organisation, figure out their email, and write to them.
Comment by Rafik October 21, 2011 @ 11:38 amso yeah, upmarket digital dm…
Comment by Rafik October 21, 2011 @ 11:39 amUpmarket DM or upmarket charity collector?
Comment by Rob October 21, 2011 @ 2:33 pmyou are right rob. Sorry, you are right “my friend”
Comment by jime October 21, 2011 @ 9:28 amHere’s the loophole / workaround:
Choose “Colleague” and select your current position. It will always be accepted and people kind of get that you never worked together BUT always accept. It’s the only way round this stinker.
Comment by Oz October 21, 2011 @ 4:54 pmSad isn’t it. Even the workaround makes them look pathetic. But thank you.
Comment by Rob October 21, 2011 @ 6:58 pmI get some weird fucktards commenting on AdScam. But, Rob… You take the Golden Phallus Award for douchenozzles. Where did you find them… LinkedIn?
Comment by George Parker October 22, 2011 @ 10:25 pmCheers/George
I know George, I must have done something terrible in a past life. What’s worse, a couple of them are people I went in to business with – what on earth was I thinking, even though I know they’ll say the same. Bastards.
Comment by Rob October 23, 2011 @ 10:19 am