LinkedIn - Total waste of time

[LondonManc]

In every job site they can find millions of CVs so LinkedIn is no different in that way. Also, I don't really care if they contact my old employers, good luck with that.

LinkedIn is in effect TwoReferences.com - agencies can search for, say, Citrix contractors and then figure out from their history which companies may use Citrix. They can then target cvs of their own at a person's previous clientco. So yeah, as much as you can find millions of cvs, they can get a much better picture far more easily on LinkedIn.

[achilles]

I personally dont know a single person who has picked up a contract via LI. IMVHO, its a total waste of time.

You just get endless requests to 'link' from agents and people I dont know of and have never heard of before. Good luck to those who have got something from it but I honestly think they would have been contacted one way or another by the people who used LI.

LinkedIn is basically a recruitment platform. Recruiters can pay thousands of pounds per year at the highest membership level and use it as their main tool.

But for us contractors, I agree, it is next to useless.

[Bluespider]

I've had leads, interviews, speculative requests, interest in my cv etc all from LI.
It's an important part of my arsenal in finding new and interesting contracts plus it also provides an easy way to find out who people are and what they are currently working on.

Yes agencies can use it for their own ends, but nobody said it was a one trick pony! Why can't it work both ways and be mutually beneficial for both sides of the equation?
It is definately a case of you get out of it what you put in, my experiences have been positive.

[SpontaneousOrder]

I get quite a lot of leads from it. One internal recruiter messages me every single time, on the dot, when my current contract expires (she must be organised and put a reminder in her calendar or something).

Plus other contractor pals get in touch looking for / advising of opportunities.

Plus it's handy just to see if a particular potential client actually uses Java (for example) contractors. If they do there will very likely be a load of them stating as much on linkedin.

[clearedforlanding]

LinkedIn is a wonderful tool to find out what your competitors are up to, and who their clients and suppliers are.

The amount of information that employees divulge in their "on-line CVs" is astounding. Contractor profiles can be even worse as they feel a need to reveal in exhaustive detail everything they are doing to increase Pimp hits.

I have passed on hiring people because their LI profile told me too much information about their previous client and was not prepared to assume this risk.

I haven't encountered it myself, but I am sure we are going to see an increase in HR policing of LI.

[SlipTheJab]

Got a contract though LI at a place where I applied via an agency first only to be told by the pimp that my CV wasn't a good fit. Contacted the client HR on LI and got the role direct, was there for 3 years. I took great delight in informing said pimp about the role when he contacted me again a few months after I started with 'an excellent opportunity'

[Unix]

I have 1000's of connections to agents, I will add anyone. Then when I need a contract I just post it and then agents are all over me like andyw's mum at an orgy.

[clearedforlanding]

I have 1000's of connections to agents, I will add anyone. Then when I need a contract I just post it and then agents are all over me like andyw's mum at an orgy.

That is a good strategy. Just remember to change it when you get a job. I know a programme director will a team of several hundred who has been "currently looking for his next position" for over a year now. We really should tell him, but it's cute.

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

I find it to be more and more rubbish. I used to have lots of details on it but I have stripped it down to bare minimum. I am fed up with getting at least 2-3 connection requests a week rom random agents (with no introduction) and another 2-3 connection requests from people in countries in Africa/Asia that I have never met or spoke to. I am also fed up with people using it as a social site, a few weeks ago I saw someone posting a photo of their newly born kid.

But its what you use it for, when I am looking for contracts I post an update saying I am available - that normally generates 1-2 messages from my contacts followed by 10 from all the recruiters.

[VillageContractor]

I got my current contract from linkedin so it's worked me. But I put the effort in add new contacts, update roles and increase recommendations.

You can argue the value but if a recruiter is using linkedin then they're more likely to contact those with upto date profiles. It's essentially another version of our CV.

VC