LinkedIn... Its’ Unorthodox Use Revealed!

The creators of LinkedIn developed this Social Media Business Network to allow its users to connect to a network of your Trusted Professional contacts where you can make better use of your professional network and help the people you trust in return. They also go on to say:

“We believe that in a global connected economy, your success as a professional and your competitiveness as a company depends upon faster access to insight and resources you can trust.”

When I first Joined LinkedIn – 4 Years ago I added every Professional contact I have worked with , had lunch with, played golf and squash with as well as folks I had met on study courses with over the last 10 – 15 years.. Wooow ... that gives me say about 350 (Trusted and perhaps not so trusted) professionals to start with. I make that statement in brackets because my goal was to plug into their networks (Trusted or not). This is where I break away from LinkedIn’s intended purpose of connecting with only your trusted professional contacts.

As I started to build my network and with the launch of a new Recruitment Company and new recruitment model; I questioned, what would be wrong in adding every candidate we sourced for a particular client (No, not your existing database of candidates that apply to your company online or via email- there is a difference) into our LinkedIn Network also, lets take a further step and add all of our Clients and even a bolder move our competitors to our (not so trusted any more) network as well.

How does this help me, my partners, our Company:

a) LinkedIn has now become a Powerful Job board for my Recruitment team that is continually modified and fined tune to suit our recruitment needs – especially when you work in niche markets lets use HRIS (SAP, Peoplesoft,Consultants) If we add all consultants we have recruited with these specific skills particular to SAP HR, for example - I have just tapped into a niche group and the network of each of those individuals. I can only assume I have tapped into a ``Trusted`` Network. But trust me when I tell you that our delivery speed in providing that resource is increased tremendously and Peoplesoft and SAP Resources skills are difficult to source.

b) By adding your clients to your network – You get a chance to look at their past, study the background of that executive and more importantly learn how they are connected in their industry sector. You also have more info to extend your discussion–people are people regardless of titles and the more you have in common the easier it is to bond. Connecting with clients gives you a chance to map a Company and their connections also gives you an idea as to where your clients like to get their talent come from. If your client connection is an Internal HR contact you get a chance to tap in on who they are adding to their network - you also get a peep on recruiting activities not advertised the more info you have the better.

c) Now the big one why would I add my Competitors to my network of ``Trusted Professionals`` ? I know you are going to ask me, why would they accept my invitation ... As Professional Recruiters, we need to realize that a connection we have now may be needed in the future; my competitor might need a connection I have right now. In the end you are really measured on the “Direct Relationships” you have in the market place my competitor might be working with my client in say supporting them on helpdesk roles - where I might be supporting the same client on Financial Executive roles – should I feel threatened? I think not. Also, in the end, candidates belong to the “Public domain” they belong to no one and no one company.

Plugging into my competitors network gives me access to other target markets and strong source for candidates – I get to watch what is trending with my competitor, but he/she gets the same benefits plugging into my network.

We need to keep in mind that we live in a very connected virtual world, who knows you may not be in the same industry in 5- 10 years from now – I don’t think the Creators of LinkedIn wanted this great Social Media Business network to be used in this way – but if you had some time to study the Social Media World ,tools that started out with a particular purpose don’t always serve the same purpose for its users who in the end will steer the direction as to how that tool will be used in the market place sometimes creating new undiscovered trends and markets.

I know quite a few people will outright disagree with my unorthodox use of this great SM Business networking tool we call LinkedIn. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Comment by Marsha Keeffer on March 7, 2010 at 7:00pm: Now this is a VERY interesting, counter-intuitive use of LinkedIn. In fact, one of the 'extras' I like about it is it holds everyone's feet to the fire. If you're not providing performance as a recruiter, people will stay away from you. As a candidate, LinkedIn and the way you conduct yourself can be 'read' by savvy recruiters who will be able to see if you've got the goods you say you have in your profile.

Best of all - your idea increases transparency for all of us. I think that's a big plus. What's hidden causes havoc - for recruiters, candidates and employers.

Thanks for the thought-provoking post, Paul!

Comment by Paul Alfred on March 7, 2010 at 7:31pm: Thanks for your kind insightful feedback ... You know Marsha for I a while I felt I would not get anyone to respond to this blog post in a positive light- I had already assumed martyrdom for my confession on how I use LinkedIn ....

You do make a valid point transparency is key to this strategy.

Comment by Marsha Keeffer on March 7, 2010 at 7:38pm: Bingo, Paul! I think what used to be a competitive advantage in the past (a large, secret database) is not now. Maybe the winning formula is honesty, loyalty, integrity, autonomy and candidate love.

In the new world, there are no enemies - everyone is a potential source of prosperity if we give it.

Comment by Paul Alfred on March 7, 2010 at 10:08pm: So true Marsha... So true...

Comment by Judi Wunderlich on March 10, 2010 at 11:38am: Good article Paul. At various recruiting or staffing conventions, as recently as last year, I still encounter people who feel they must lock up their database of candidates and clients tighter than Fort Knox, and this mindset makes them reluctant to engage on 'social recruiting' or even link with their contacts on LinkedIn.

Tsk tsk... they are being short-sighted and will lose in the end.

Comment by Paul Alfred on March 10, 2010 at 11:42am: Thanks for your comment Judy ... Very true .... I fail to understand why Recruiters don't yet realize that candidates and clients are really not theirs to keep in the Real and virtual world- it will always be about service delivery.

Comment by Rob on March 10, 2010 at 2:44pm: Hi Paul, I enjoyed your post. I read from your "about us" section that you specialise in finding candidates not actively on the open market. I think this is crucial to continued success as recruiters. With linkedin as the best tool for it. I think your approach to linkedin in is spot on. Delivery and execution will always win over hoarding a candidate in a bizarre fort knox database.

Comment by Paul Alfred on March 10, 2010 at 2:57pm: Thanks for your kind feedback ...

Comment by Tom Birdsell on March 11, 2010 at 11:35am: Hi Paul - Believe the tiered aspects of the new LI search capabilities, can also, be affective in No's 1 & 2, to go back to any of them contained in the findings, for target searches, resulting in more efficiencies and speed. On 3#, I only look at their ' Connections '. If they are ' Open ' Connectors, of course it makes sense to utilize the dualities that may exist to source new clients / candidates. If not, I know they are not as transparent as I want them to be for me at least. Every search to a point is proprietary in nature.....

Comment by Paul Alfred on March 11, 2010 at 11:53am: Thanks for your comment Tom ... I always want to learn how other professionals work with LinkedIn. On the closed connections you can still connect with them as long as you are linked. I believe eventually professionals will want to have more transparent relationships over time ...

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