Linked In Answers as Networking Tool

One of the most brilliant features of LInkedIn has to be "Answers".

Wondering whether an MBA will help your HR career?
Launching a fashion label in Egypt?
Want to know what people look for in a VP of sales candidate?

LinkedIn's Answers feature allows you to pose a business question to your network (and the connections of everyone in your network). People have seven days to respond.

But wait, there's more! You can browse the questions that are "open" by category to find a subject you know something about, and chime in with your two cents. If your response is chosen as the best answer you become flagged as an "expert".

In the meantime you can become more closely acquainted with all sorts of people, as you give information and assistance and receive information and assistance. Virtual networking at its best.

Of course you need to have people in your network to make this an interesting experience.

LinkedIn's recommendation is that you only add people to your network whom you know and trust, and that makes sense. But I also see the value of having new connections who interest you in some way. I don't see the value in "collecting" hundreds of connections whom you couldn't possibly know or care about.

I'm curious about your own experience with LinkedIn Answers and how you believe it stacks up against other social networking sites' features.

Has it been worth your time? What benefits have you received from it?

Heather Mundell
Dream Big Coaching Services
www.dreambigcoaching.com
heather@dreambigcoaching.com

Comments

[Kent Blumberg]

Oh yeah, I am a believer in LinkedIn answers. Last Saturday, I appeared on a radio show about workaholism and relationships. I'm not expert on either, but I queried my LinkedIn netword a week ahead of time and received 11 responses. Several of the responses kicked my thinking in new and helpful directions. And several of the responses introduced me to new folks who are quite interesting.

[Heather Mundell]

Kent, Great example of how participating in Answers can really save our bacon as well as introduce us to cool people.

[Zale Tabakman]

Your approach is just one of the ways of using LinkedIn Answers.

I have found another additional and interesting approach to LinkedIn Answers.

Every couple of weeks I ask a question about a specific technique in how people become successful. I call them Zale's Success Stories. I a have asked over 40 questions. I get between 20 and 70 answers each time.

Questions have included Time Management, Positive Mental Attitude, Coaching, etc.

And of course one on how LinkedIn helps people succeed.

The stories can be found at
http://www.zaletabakman.ca/stories/

I also have a LinkedIn group where I update the people when a new question has been posted in LinkedIn Answers. At the same time I update them with stories that have been posted.

Take Care

Zale

www.LinkedIn.com/in/ZaleTabakman <- An invite to me adds 1,600,000 people to your linkedin network

www.ZaleTabakman.ca

[Heather Mundell]

Wow Zale, you have quite the collection of stories! Thanks for adding how you use LinkedIn answers - most interesting!