[iancmceachern]

You were clearly doing it wrong. I've done the opposite. I've built a robust network of real people that have real mutual interest in being acquainted with me professionally. You have to put good will into it. It's not a site, it's not linkedin, it's a tool to meet cool people who share your professional interests and to facilitate making real connections with them. If you used it to create fake friends and superficial relationships that's on you.

[gregjor]

Not sure how you got the idea I created "fake friends and superficial relationships," I think you misread my comment. I intended to dismiss that plan because it seems the norm on LinkedIn -- "connecting" with people you don't know, haven't worked with, for the sole purpose of creating a fake network. My LinkedIn network consisted entirely of former colleagues, customers, and a couple of recruiters I have worked with. Turns out I can stay in contact with them in person, by phone, or with email.

Maybe it comes from my age, but "connecting" or "liking" someone on social media doesn't equal "meeting" people, cool or otherwise. A referral is a referral, perhaps, but I think one from someone I worked with or for who can vouch for me counts for a lot more than one from someone I "connected with" on LinkedIn.

My personal address book keeps my "network" safe from anyone harvesting them from my LinkedIn profile, another bonus.

[iancmceachern]

I got that impression because you said "...fake network..."

Exactly. You don't just like them and stuff. That's just the beginning, you have to actually meet them and build a relationship. This isn't always in person, often a zoom call every so often to "talk shop" is how to start. Of course it wouldn't do anything if your just liking their pages and connecting with people. You have to put in the effort to go further, meet with them on zoom or in person, keep that relationship going. Extend those olive branches. It's just that you do it facilitated by linkedin and not at a conference or trade mixer or whatever.

There is no harm in people "harvesting" your stuff. That's what you want, you want to put up there your career accomplishments, the people you know, so that you can be found by the people that need you and your services.

[gregjor]

I wrote "fake network" to make fun of how too many people use LinkedIn and other social media. Boasting that 10,000 people follow your Twitter feed doesn't mean you have 10,000 friends who will help you land a job. I have found myself at the receiving end of aggressive networkers and like collectors. It starts to feel like an Amway conference.

If you find value in LinkedIn, great. I don't doubt that some people find ways to use it to build an actual professional network. I didn't try that, everyone in my network already knew me personally, and I had little incentive to expand beyond that. Personally I never got any job or freelance gig leads from LinkedIn, but I didn't try hard to use it for that either. I never had any trouble finding jobs or freelance work through word of mouth, friends, referrals. I did write "your mileage may vary" because I don't know that my experience with LinkedIn matches everyone else's.