It’s not something I have thought about a lot. But, apropos of nothing, a question came to mind. That question, as if you couldn’t guess by now, was “why do I like LinkedIn?”

Well, here is my first attempt at addressing this question.

I really like LinkedIn because:

Starter

Now that the Big Data gurus have taken control of the Big Data channel, none of my articles on Big Data get promoted to the general Big Data readership anymore, and even the news of my publications actually reaches many if any of my connections and followers.

That’s a real plus, because it reduces community activities and feedback to the pieces to almost zilch. No feedback, no additional work for me.

Why write these articles in the first place? I don’t know, maybe it’s just to irritate the likes of Bobby Marr, Bobby Kobelius, Bobby Warner, et al that I get to call a great big pile of steaming hype a great big pile of steaming hype. I prefer to think it’s a professional and ethical Data Architect, Strategist and Manager (me) who wants to inform, educate and entertain.

Main Course

I have recently completed a years effort designing, developing and testing a project schedule communication application (actually three apps). So I wrote to fifty of my closest contacts on LinkedIn telling them about my apps and soliciting their ideas, opinions and further interest.

The feedback I have received from this exercise has been almost zero. Which isn’t surprising given the fact that my messages have somehow been mislaid between me posting them via LinkedIn and my connections (many of whom are friends) on LinkedIn.

Of course this saves me the time, effort and trouble of following up on any expressions of interest. So, another win-win in the use of LinkedIn for serious business purposes.

Desert

Last but not least (but, nevertheless the last for now). I live in Madrid. After New Year (Actually Three Kings) I decided to try my luck obtaining a position here in Madrid (or in Germany) with one of the many big enterprises that advertise jobs on LinkedIn (including Ernst and Young, McKinsey, PwC, BCG, Indra, Oracle, Spring, Everis, Wolters Kluwer, Cap Gemini, EVO, Roche, ThalesAlenia, etc.)

When I go for something I go for something, so I applied for over 70 jobs via the LinkedIn jobs portal. Prepared the CVs, the covering letters, etc. and waited.

Not one reply. Good!

Not even a confirmation of receipt. Better!

Not even an automated feck off. Best!

Still, it saved me from the trouble of taking phone calls about potential employment, arranging phone calls and preparing for and attending interviews. I tell you, there is nothing LinkedIn cannot do to ease the life of a professional.

That’s all folks!

It would be interesting to hear from anyone who has experienced similar benefits from using this platform to further their professional aims, ambitions and goals.

More to the point, can we be assured that Microsoft will maintain the same levels of quality?

A nugget of gold shared really goes to show one cares.

Take care y’all.

Many thanks for reading.

My blog is at: http://www.goodstrat.com

And, don’t forget to join THE BIG DATA CONTRARIANS… on LinkedIn