Why not use other networking sites?

Posting my profile on LinkedIn.com has helped me reconnect with people with whom I had lost contact. I have also met some productive contacts by searching profiles and these connections typically have better than average internet skills. I have also helped friends and associates sign up over the phone so they have a better understanding of LinkedIn or Soflow. This means saving time in the long run.

I was on the phone with Ulrich Jaeger today, showing him the message board at Soflow, and he agrees that networking through the listing/message board there can be a time saver. We're about a week away from that!

I recommend LinkedIn and Soflow not because of an affiliate relationship which pays me money - I don't have one with these sites as I have with Max Steingart. I don't recommend LinkedIn because it would be more convenient for me since I'm already directly connected to over 320 people and through four degrees of relationship over 2.2 MILLION. I recommend these sites because they are business oriented and they are speedier to use than other sites for the functions I'm interested in like making new connections to serious business minded/career oriented people. I have some experience with other networking sites like Ecademy and Ryze and even Monster and Care2. Some sites just seem to add steps that make the process take longer. Others have too many people who aren't interested in networking which makes you wonder why their information is there in the first place. At least with Care2 you know that people are mostly there to protect the environment or some similarly earth-friendly motives.

The term social networking is becoming something of a misnomer, IMHO [In my humble opinion]. These websites are not really about being social, except in the context of doing business.

I was just invited to a site which seems to me to be more social. You might not be interested. I still recommend using the combination of LinkedIn and Soflow, but I am exploring this site. Will it be a waste of time? I am looking at it as a learning experience. However, how much time do you have for these more SOCIAL networking learning experiences when you already have effective business/career tools?

It's up to you. I'm not recommending it. I just joined to do a little exploring. Maybe I'll be surprised. So far I am getting little messages about this or that not opening up. Maybe that's because I'm using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer. We'll see. If you want to join me, the invitation's here. IF you do, REMEMBER to change the email address on the signup form.


MySpace.com Invitation


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