Introduction
In this article I’m continuing my thoughts from my earlier article Professional networks – do we need them or are they starting to become obsolete?
Now I ask myself if LinkedIn is adopting to the new society, the flowsociety as discussed not only me by but also by Anders Abrahamsson in his article: From structure society to Flow society – an introduction
Too static to work
Believe me, I like the idea LinkedIn is having. To collect all professionals with their CV’s in one place, with one conformed look. This way it’s easy to search for people when you need an certain expertise, and it’s also easy to connect to other professionals in your own field, or in any other field you feel you need to be connected to for that matter.
There are also groups where members discuss various subjects, and I’m myself a member of a collection of groups that I have interest in. For me personally the groups are the thing I utilize most, and I have subscribed to newsletters from some of them that are most valuable to me.
But, the main question and issue is, how will LinkedIn survive in the more and more intense Flowsociety when it’s behind closed doors? It will be harder and harder to maintain a service if it’s not possible to make settings to allow portions or all to be publicly viewed.
How many of you are REALLY using LinkedIn?
This is a relevant question, as many of my colleagues say agree: “Yes, I have a profile on LinkedIn, but I’m rarely logged in there and I’m defiantly not using it for communication. It’s just a place to put my professional profile.”
You are not Facebook
LinkedIn – You are not Facebook, although you try awfully hard to get Facebook-esq success in offering a rich social experience, bringing people and applications to its site. LinkedIn is NOT building professional networks, it’s has always been about recording and/or browsing networks. Building true relationships happens outside LinkedIn, not within the system. And to me that shows that the system is too rigid, not a valid part of the new Flowsociety. As the data store, it has value but since it’s a locked up system it offers less value.
LinkedIn – words of advice
Open up your system and let your data be a more active part of the flowsociety and other social networks, if not you will be left behind in the faster
and faster flow out there. Just imagine how it could be if you could download a CV through Facebook or Twitter very simple by just checking out a persons profile. Integration is on its way through Xobni or other add-ons to Outlook, but how interesting would it be to have the same integration in your Twitter client? And especially now when Google+ is generating higher results when you search for a person.. or a person with niche skills. Then you will be a significant part of the Flowsociety, the same as Twitter or Facebook.
Finally
For me, LinkedIn is too closed and restricted of a platform to fit in the World of today, where we’re entering the world of Flow, the Flowsociety! I think we will see more and more people updating their Google profiles with more significant information so it will be valid in the open and flowing world.