Am I the only one who hates LinkedIn?

[MechaSpanky]

I often read stories about how great LinkedIn is but I've never heard of anyone who actually uses it saying anything good about it. Everyone I know signs up for it and then doesn't use it for anything. I especially hate it because I keep getting invites to join from people who I just happen to be in their address book. LinkedIn, in my opinion, is nothing more than a giant SPAM site and I'm sick of their invites. I have never used LinkedIn and I would never use it either because they have created a horrible impression with all their intrusive invites. Maybe I'm missing something? Anyone have a positive experience using it? When people ask me for my email address, I now ask them "Do you use or do you plan to use LinkedIn? If yes, then no you can't have my email".

 

[Jschultz]

I often read stories about how great LinkedIn is but I've never heard of anyone who actually uses it saying anything good about it. Everyone I know signs up for it and then doesn't use it for anything. I especially hate it because I keep getting invites to join from people who I just happen to be in their address book. LinkedIn, in my opinion, is nothing more than a giant SPAM site and I'm sick of their invites. I have never used LinkedIn and I would never use it either because they have created a horrible impression with all their intrusive invites. Maybe I'm missing something? Anyone have a positive experience using it? When people ask me for my email address, I now ask them "Do you use or do you plan to use LinkedIn? If yes, then no you can't have my email".

I've gotten interviews, and subsequently, one job from LinkedIn. A lot of good jobs aren't advertised; they come looking for you. LinkedIn is one of those places to be if you're entertaining the idea of a new job.

 

[rdowns]

I got my current job through LinkedIn. Also a good way to keep in touch with former colleagues, especially since I don't use Facebook.

 

[S.B.G]

I don't have anything bad to say about it and it's certainly not Facebook. My profile is well filled out and have had some opportunities come my way through it too.

 

[maflynn]

I don't hate LinkedIn, but I really don't use them. It's not like I choose not too, because of some sort of reason, I just have no need to log in and use them.

 

[MechaSpanky]

I don't hate LinkedIn, but I really don't use them. It's not like I choose not too, because of some sort of reason, I just have no need to log in and use them.

This is what I have heard from everyone I know who uses LinkedIn.

 

[lowendlinux]

I like LinkedIn it's a nice place to have a conversation with peers past and present.

 

[heehee]

I use it but not very often, login probably once a month to see what's going on within my network and see what jobs are available out there.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Actually, I use it and check it most days.

Indeed, almost everyone with whom I am 'linked' is someone I have known, or worked with, professionally, almost invariably abroad. All of my work for the past decade or so (and much of it before that) was abroad, and this is a very useful way of staying in touch with peers, and professional colleagues.

While some of us - who have worked together abroad - occasionally use LinkedIn to stay in touch on a personal basis (and I have done so myself), most of the time, I, and those with whom I am linked, tend to use it purely for professional purposes. As such, I find it useful, and a very useful way to keep in touch with fellow professionals who have worked in the sort of areas that I work in.

It is probably worth adding that I don't have a Facebook account, and have never seen the need for one.

 

[Alrescha]

I do not use it, as I am not inclined to use that sort of site (people I want to keep in touch with know my email address). Invites just get marked as spam and forgotten.

A.

 

[maflynn]

I just got a "friend request" to add someone I have no idea who, in an industry that is completely different then mine. Like FB, I ignored such requests, but for me, I find little value in Linkedin, and so I rarely log into it.

 

[roadbloc]

Never used LinkedIn. Never seen the point in it.

 

[grandM]

I often read stories about how great LinkedIn is but I've never heard of anyone who actually uses it saying anything good about it. Everyone I know signs up for it and then doesn't use it for anything. I especially hate it because I keep getting invites to join from people who I just happen to be in their address book. LinkedIn, in my opinion, is nothing more than a giant SPAM site and I'm sick of their invites. I have never used LinkedIn and I would never use it either because they have created a horrible impression with all their intrusive invites. Maybe I'm missing something? Anyone have a positive experience using it? When people ask me for my email address, I now ask them "Do you use or do you plan to use LinkedIn? If yes, then no you can't have my email".

I already got contacted through linkedin by a recruiter

 

[Scepticalscribe]

As with so many threads these days, there are a number of different - and entirely separate - issues which can be (and may need to be) discussed here.

One is the actual nature of LinkedIn, (all those endorsements) and another is the whole area of social media in general.

A third is the awful title of the thread: Seriously, the word 'hate' is used an awful lot on social media. It is a strong verb, and, precisely because it is such a strong verb, perhaps for something such as social media, a verb on the lines of 'dislike' might be considered more appropriate in the circumstances?

My concern is that if we use verbs such as 'hate' for LinkedIn, what verb do we - or can we - use when something truly hateful happens, and hope for it to retain its expressive full force?

Re LinkedIn itself, my experience is that many who have a LinkedIn account don't really go in much for FaceBook; I certainly don't, and I have to say that I never really 'got' FB. Granted, this may be a generational matter, as much as anything else.

 

[AlliFlowers]

It is impossible to get rid of LinkedIn once you have an account. And like Facebook, nobody really looks at your status prior to sending messages.

Case in point, my father died last spring. I logged onto his account and posted his obituary. Can't close the account. But he still gets contact requests. Go figure.

 

[MechaSpanky]

A third is the awful title of the thread: Seriously, the word 'hate' is used an awful lot on social media. It is a strong verb, and, precisely because it is such a strong verb, perhaps for something such as social media, a verb on the lines of 'dislike' might be considered more appropriate in the circumstances?

No in this case I truly hate LinkedIn. I chose the word because it expresses clearly how I feel. The word hate might seem overly strong to you but then you don't understand how much I dislike LinkedIn. Do you dislike SPAM? I don't, I hate it! Hate means to feel intense or passionate dislike for someone or something and that pretty much sums up my feeling towards LinkedIn. I'm glad that some people here have had good luck with it. Others never check it or never use it once they sign up, just as I thought. I just hate the in your face attitude that have with SPAMing people about joining their service. If I was interested in their service I would sign up. I don't need to be harassed about it with 50 emails every week just because some people who have my email in their address book have signed up.

 

[maflynn]

No in this case I truly hate LinkedIn. I chose the word because it expresses clearly how I feel..

Well I guess, if that's how you feel, don't use the. I'm sure you can close out your account and tell them to stop emailing you, so it will be like that you never used them.

I think hating a service, or product is a waste of energy, time and effort. Let it go and move on

 

[MechaSpanky]

maflynn,

Sorry I guess you didn't read my original post. I don't use LinkedIn and I don't have an account with them, so there is no need to cancel it. That is why I am so tired of receiving "invitations" a.k.a. SPAM from them trying to get me to join. It is the same of political parties, religious groups (or cults), and random salesmen that come door to door trying to get me to buy into their way of thinking or buy their stuff. They are often times pushy and always come when it is the least convenient time for me. LinkedIn is the same. They are an annoyance that won't go away. I can appreciate your philosophy of not hating anything. I'm normally a pretty laid back guy but LinkedIn has really rubbed me the wrong way and I can't help it if I have strong feels of "dislike" for them.

 

[sjinsjca]

LinkedIn has value, but they also have scummy ethics. They routinely and repetitively try to sneakily persuade you to allow them access to your entire contact list. Whereupon every last person you've ever corresponded with gets an invite in your name.

That really sucks. And it sucks more that they keep trying even after you've declined the "opportunity" once, assuming you were alert enough to see what they were trying to do. Most folks don't realize what's about to happen, and your inbox bulges as a consequence.

It's also super creepy to get connections-suggestions to people with whom you've had minimal or peripheral contact, all because someone has both of you in their email contact list and LinkedIn sees the connection.

But then, it's a social network, and social networks are inherently creepy.

 

[iososx]

I don't hate anyone or anything, I simply choose to ignore what's of no interest. Several of the new people in our organization talk about its pros & cons which like anything else are individual perspectives. The one nearly universal acknowledgement is regarding the time sinks they can be. That's one reason I avoid them.

 

[MechaSpanky]

LinkedIn has value, but they also have scummy ethics. They routinely and repetitively try to sneakily persuade you to allow them access to your entire contact list. Whereupon every last person you've ever corresponded with gets an invite in your name.

That really sucks. And it sucks more that they keep trying even after you've declined the "opportunity" once, assuming you were alert enough to see what they were trying to do. Most folks don't realize what's about to happen, and your inbox bulges as a consequence.

It's also super creepy to get connections-suggestions to people with whom you've had minimal or peripheral contact, all because someone has both of you in their email contact list and LinkedIn sees the connection.

But then, it's a social network, and social networks are inherently creepy.

sjinsjca,

Great post. This is exactly what I'm talking about. I don't use LinkedIn but I used to get emails "inviting" me to join from a person who went to the same university as me, had the same major, lived in the same city, was of a similar age, and even went to the same gym as me. They seemed to know a lot about me but I didn't know the person. It took me a long time to figure out that they had met someone I know on LinkedIn and my friend had given them my email address without asking me first and that is how they had gotten my email address. I was creeped out by it.

 

[MacScott]

I don't remember ever signing up for it, yet there for awhile it seemed like i got a couple emails a week from them saying someone wanted to connect with me. I thought it was some kind of dating thing at first

 

[808?]

That is why I am so tired of receiving "invitations" a.k.a. SPAM from them trying to get me to join.

You can unsubscribe from getting anymore "invitations" or "requests". There is usually an unsubscribe link buried in their emails.

That is what I did - problem solved.

 

[Melrose]

sjinsjca,

Great post. This is exactly what I'm talking about. I don't use LinkedIn but I used to get emails "inviting" me to join from a person who went to the same university as me, had the same major, lived in the same city, was of a similar age, and even went to the same gym as me. They seemed to know a lot about me but I didn't know the person. It took me a long time to figure out that they had met someone I know on LinkedIn and my friend had given them my email address without asking me first and that is how they had gotten my email address. I was creeped out by it.

That was my experience as well so I closed my account. Plus, if you want any kind of account privacy all they do is lock your account but everyone else can still see everything; everyone else still has full access toy our info. I must use Facebook for business so I tolerate it but LinkedIn is a heckling sort-of POS.

Until I closed my account, no matter how many times I opted out they just. kept. sending. me those damn notices. Sooner or later I'd get a notice of some sort telling me some utterly useless piece of verbiage and passing it off as helpful information.

Yeah, it's cool some dudes started a social network and made it profitable - kudos. But for me, nopety nopety nope. Most of my own acquaintances that joined were uppity and stuck on themselves... not the kind of people I want to do business with.

Never seen the point in it.

For once I agree.

 

[smallcoffee]

LinkedIn is pretty great for me. I use it to maintain connections with organizations I'm involved with, and for making sure my professional presence is available for recruiters. It also let's me maintain contact with people who I may be able to aid professionally, or whom may be able to aid me professionally.

I think all of the news stories and "thought leaders" are complete garbage. But I don't use the site for that so it doesn't matter.

In my profession and the company I work for it's pretty much a requirement.

I don't like social media sites like Facebook or Twitter. Nothing but advertisements and destruction of personal human relationships.