If you are an active user of social networking sites, you probably know that, unlike Facebook, LinkedIn offers its users transparency when it comes to seeing who views their pages. It is a great option since it allows you to have an idea of the types of individuals (their titles, location, etc.) that are interested in your background. You can even follow up by reaching out to them to see what prompted their curiosity. Personally, I have made some great connections thanks to this feature.
I have to admit, however, that I find it slightly disconcerting when I see the same person visit my page on a daily basis (with perhaps an occasional “day off”). Had it been the case with Twitter, Facebook or this blog, I would understand since my news feed is constantly changing on all three. The LinkedIn page, on the other hand, is quite static, and it is difficult to appreciate one’s interest in diligently visiting it on such a regular basis. In my case, one of my former bosses and certain former colleagues are clearly avid fans. They come to my page so often that I almost feel uneasy about the fact that there is nothing new for them to see. I should maybe commit to updating my photo at least every week, or perhaps change the description of tasks in my current or past employment. Since the visits are more frequent than that, however, I should probably make these updates on a daily basis.
All kidding aside, LinkedIn is a professional site used to build your professional image and credibility. My advice would be to abstain from creeping on someone’s page like a dedicated stalker. After all, why would you want to leave an awkward impression of yourself?
Well, it is a slipery slope since sometimes the way to get to a 2nd level connection is trough someone's profile, the thing is you being an HR professional, you probably have the best pool of potential networking connections, some times it is, as you say, just some mindless clicking. Good advice
ReplyDeleteGood point @ Akare! When you are looking to get introduced to other potential contacts, you might use the same connection multiple times. Personally, I also like sending my contacts emails via LinkedIn even though I have their email addresses and can use Outlook. This means I do often look up the same profiles multiple times a week.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I was referring to people who seem to "creep" on my profile but never contact me. This begs the question of what they are trying to find or what news they are hoping to come across.
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