Linkedin Usefulness?
How important (and or necessary) is linkedin in order to be able to land internships and jobs in finance? It seems as if everyone is using it these days and I have heard mixed reviews on its usefulness. Right now I'm networking through personal connections (i.e. my best friend's father is an exec at a company working with a pe firm and thus I was connected to the pe firm)
Also how important is it to have a lot of connections (to make your linkedin look legit) and what if I've only held one internship at a small firm consisting of less than 10 employees?
Apparently only 23 of my facebook friends are also on linkedin at all (I'm a college underclassmen) and I could add say 20 or so more people from the workplace. Would a profile with 45 or so connections be useless and/or distasteful?







forget facebook. keep your
forget facebook. keep your linkedin up to date and detailed.
LinkedIn is a must for
LinkedIn is a must for professional networking.
Thought you might find this useful.
"I am the hero of the story. I don't need to be saved."
If I look someone up on
If I look someone up on LinkedIn and they're not there, I automatically assume they're incompetent unless they're an older executive. Not being on LinkedIn says that you don't understand the value of networking. Put a good amount of time into creating your profile, joining relevant groups, making connections, etc. - but then don't waste much time there. Spend 5 minutes once a week unless you have a reason to be on.
I read somewhere that the average Harvard MBA has around 60 connections, and the average Google employee has somewhere around 70. Forty-five isn't too far off, so don't worry about the number of connections. Having less than 20 might look bad, but if you haven't even graduated yet, 45 will probably put your connection count higher than 90% of your peers.
Don't forget about your personal connections - your best friend's dad, your girlfriend's uncle, your second cousin, etc. I have about 300 connections, and probably 1/3 to 1/2 of them are personal. You never know if your little sister's coworker's grandfather will turn out to be an MD at GS.
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/big-4-accounting
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/entrepreneur
Apparently in the future it
Apparently in the future it will replace CV's, but I doubt it
I agree with 808. I
I agree with 808. I automatically associate people without linkedin with art majors. Even if you don't check it regularly, having one makes you look not too clueless.
808: If I look someone up on
If I look someone up on LinkedIn and they're not there, I automatically assume they're incompetent unless they're an older executive. Not being on LinkedIn says that you don't understand the value of networking. Put a good amount of time into creating your profile, joining relevant groups, making connections, etc. - but then don't waste much time there. Spend 5 minutes once a week unless you have a reason to be on.
I read somewhere that the average Harvard MBA has around 60 connections, and the average Google employee has somewhere around 70. Forty-five isn't too far off, so don't worry about the number of connections. Having less than 20 might look bad, but if you haven't even graduated yet, 45 will probably put your connection count higher than 90% of your peers.
Don't forget about your personal connections - your best friend's dad, your girlfriend's uncle, your second cousin, etc. I have about 300 connections, and probably 1/3 to 1/2 of them are personal. You never know if your little sister's coworker's grandfather will turn out to be an MD at GS.
How many connections would look "okay" for a college underclassmen? This is going to sound completely asinine but I really don't want to add older people I know (with experience in banking/pe) without first having a sick linkedin with a legit internship and a lot of connections. It might sound overly self conscious but I don't want to add people into my network that I don't know closely (exception to people who might help me get a job) , and at the same time don't want to have a linkedin with only 30 contacts. Also I was thinking of waiting until after my legit fall internship so recruiters/MD's would think I'm for real as opposed to some weirdo with a pwm internship. I realize this may sound completely stupid
Also do any of you actually
Also do any of you actually get in touch with new people on linkedin (through groups I'm told) or do you just use it as a virtual log for people you meet in real life? - what I'm essentially doing except just using phone/email
Husky32: 808: If I look
If I look someone up on LinkedIn and they're not there, I automatically assume they're incompetent unless they're an older executive. Not being on LinkedIn says that you don't understand the value of networking. Put a good amount of time into creating your profile, joining relevant groups, making connections, etc. - but then don't waste much time there. Spend 5 minutes once a week unless you have a reason to be on.
I read somewhere that the average Harvard MBA has around 60 connections, and the average Google employee has somewhere around 70. Forty-five isn't too far off, so don't worry about the number of connections. Having less than 20 might look bad, but if you haven't even graduated yet, 45 will probably put your connection count higher than 90% of your peers.
Don't forget about your personal connections - your best friend's dad, your girlfriend's uncle, your second cousin, etc. I have about 300 connections, and probably 1/3 to 1/2 of them are personal. You never know if your little sister's coworker's grandfather will turn out to be an MD at GS.
How many connections would look "okay" for a college underclassmen? This is going to sound completely asinine but I really don't want to add older people I know (with experience in banking/pe) without first having a sick linkedin with a legit internship and a lot of connections. It might sound overly self conscious but I don't want to add people into my network that I don't know closely (exception to people who might help me get a job) , and at the same time don't want to have a linkedin with only 30 contacts. Also I was thinking of waiting until after my legit fall internship so recruiters/MD's would think I'm for real as opposed to some weirdo with a pwm internship. I realize this may sound completely stupid
You're still in college - nobody is going to judge. Find me on there and start networking asap with alums.
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808: If I look someone up on
If I look someone up on LinkedIn and they're not there, I automatically assume they're incompetent unless they're an older executive. Not being on LinkedIn says that you don't understand the value of networking. Put a good amount of time into creating your profile, joining relevant groups, making connections, etc. - but then don't waste much time there. Spend 5 minutes once a week unless you have a reason to be on.
I read somewhere that the average Harvard MBA has around 60 connections, and the average Google employee has somewhere around 70. Forty-five isn't too far off, so don't worry about the number of connections. Having less than 20 might look bad, but if you haven't even graduated yet, 45 will probably put your connection count higher than 90% of your peers.
Don't forget about your personal connections - your best friend's dad, your girlfriend's uncle, your second cousin, etc. I have about 300 connections, and probably 1/3 to 1/2 of them are personal. You never know if your little sister's coworker's grandfather will turn out to be an MD at GS.
I disagree.
While I don't think you should accumulate connections like Facebook friends, having more connections allows you to connect to more people. For starters, the more connections you have, the more likely you are to be a 2nd or 3rd connection to somebody *ELSE*, and that somebody else is usually the person you want to end up trying to network with.
If you aren't a 2nd or 3rd, they aren't going to show up in your search results, and if they do, you won't be able to attempt to connect with them. I think tactically adding connections is a smart thing to do.
My name is Nicky, but you can call me Dre.
aempirei: 808: If I look
If I look someone up on LinkedIn and they're not there, I automatically assume they're incompetent unless they're an older executive. Not being on LinkedIn says that you don't understand the value of networking. Put a good amount of time into creating your profile, joining relevant groups, making connections, etc. - but then don't waste much time there. Spend 5 minutes once a week unless you have a reason to be on.
I read somewhere that the average Harvard MBA has around 60 connections, and the average Google employee has somewhere around 70. Forty-five isn't too far off, so don't worry about the number of connections. Having less than 20 might look bad, but if you haven't even graduated yet, 45 will probably put your connection count higher than 90% of your peers.
Don't forget about your personal connections - your best friend's dad, your girlfriend's uncle, your second cousin, etc. I have about 300 connections, and probably 1/3 to 1/2 of them are personal. You never know if your little sister's coworker's grandfather will turn out to be an MD at GS.
I disagree.
While I don't think you should accumulate connections like Facebook friends, having more connections allows you to connect to more people. For starters, the more connections you have, the more likely you are to be a 2nd or 3rd connection to somebody *ELSE*, and that somebody else is usually the person you want to end up trying to network with.
If you aren't a 2nd or 3rd, they aren't going to show up in your search results, and if they do, you won't be able to attempt to connect with them. I think tactically adding connections is a smart thing to do.
I'm a bit confused by your post, if you need a lot of connections in order to find useful people why wouldn't you add everyone you've at least spoken to once? (like facebook)
Because you don't want to
Because you don't want to come across as desperate.
Husky32: aempirei: 808: I
If I look someone up on LinkedIn and they're not there, I automatically assume they're incompetent unless they're an older executive. Not being on LinkedIn says that you don't understand the value of networking. Put a good amount of time into creating your profile, joining relevant groups, making connections, etc. - but then don't waste much time there. Spend 5 minutes once a week unless you have a reason to be on.
I read somewhere that the average Harvard MBA has around 60 connections, and the average Google employee has somewhere around 70. Forty-five isn't too far off, so don't worry about the number of connections. Having less than 20 might look bad, but if you haven't even graduated yet, 45 will probably put your connection count higher than 90% of your peers.
Don't forget about your personal connections - your best friend's dad, your girlfriend's uncle, your second cousin, etc. I have about 300 connections, and probably 1/3 to 1/2 of them are personal. You never know if your little sister's coworker's grandfather will turn out to be an MD at GS.
I disagree.
While I don't think you should accumulate connections like Facebook friends, having more connections allows you to connect to more people. For starters, the more connections you have, the more likely you are to be a 2nd or 3rd connection to somebody *ELSE*, and that somebody else is usually the person you want to end up trying to network with.
If you aren't a 2nd or 3rd, they aren't going to show up in your search results, and if they do, you won't be able to attempt to connect with them. I think tactically adding connections is a smart thing to do.
I'm a bit confused by your post, if you need a lot of connections in order to find useful people why wouldn't you add everyone you've at least spoken to once? (like facebook)
If Joe Schmo is some schlep at a crappy job in an industry you don't care about, he isn't likely to have connections that are worthwhile to you. Focus on building your connections through your Alumni base and that should start to open doors to high-value peers in different companies, etc.
Linked-In networking is a marathon, not a sprint.
My name is Nicky, but you can call me Dre.
aempirei: Husky32: aempir
If I look someone up on LinkedIn and they're not there, I automatically assume they're incompetent unless they're an older executive. Not being on LinkedIn says that you don't understand the value of networking. Put a good amount of time into creating your profile, joining relevant groups, making connections, etc. - but then don't waste much time there. Spend 5 minutes once a week unless you have a reason to be on.
I read somewhere that the average Harvard MBA has around 60 connections, and the average Google employee has somewhere around 70. Forty-five isn't too far off, so don't worry about the number of connections. Having less than 20 might look bad, but if you haven't even graduated yet, 45 will probably put your connection count higher than 90% of your peers.
Don't forget about your personal connections - your best friend's dad, your girlfriend's uncle, your second cousin, etc. I have about 300 connections, and probably 1/3 to 1/2 of them are personal. You never know if your little sister's coworker's grandfather will turn out to be an MD at GS.
I disagree.
While I don't think you should accumulate connections like Facebook friends, having more connections allows you to connect to more people. For starters, the more connections you have, the more likely you are to be a 2nd or 3rd connection to somebody *ELSE*, and that somebody else is usually the person you want to end up trying to network with.
If you aren't a 2nd or 3rd, they aren't going to show up in your search results, and if they do, you won't be able to attempt to connect with them. I think tactically adding connections is a smart thing to do.
I'm a bit confused by your post, if you need a lot of connections in order to find useful people why wouldn't you add everyone you've at least spoken to once? (like facebook)
If Joe Schmo is some schlep at a crappy job in an industry you don't care about, he isn't likely to have connections that are worthwhile to you. Focus on building your connections through your Alumni base and that should start to open doors to high-value peers in different companies, etc.
Linked-In networking is a marathon, not a sprint.
i think this is extremely narrow-minded. I say connect with anyone and everyone while you are NOT looking for a job so that when you are, you have as large a network as possible. How hard is it to have them as a connection. Is it really a burden to you? Even if there is a .01% chance that this person could ever help you in a job search, why would you risk out missing that opportunity when it takes ~3 seconds to add someone.
Too bad you didn't know that Joe Schmo's brother in law is an VP at an elite MM bank looking to fill an analyst role with your name on it.
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WallStreetOasis.com: aempir
If I look someone up on LinkedIn and they're not there, I automatically assume they're incompetent unless they're an older executive. Not being on LinkedIn says that you don't understand the value of networking. Put a good amount of time into creating your profile, joining relevant groups, making connections, etc. - but then don't waste much time there. Spend 5 minutes once a week unless you have a reason to be on.
I read somewhere that the average Harvard MBA has around 60 connections, and the average Google employee has somewhere around 70. Forty-five isn't too far off, so don't worry about the number of connections. Having less than 20 might look bad, but if you haven't even graduated yet, 45 will probably put your connection count higher than 90% of your peers.
Don't forget about your personal connections - your best friend's dad, your girlfriend's uncle, your second cousin, etc. I have about 300 connections, and probably 1/3 to 1/2 of them are personal. You never know if your little sister's coworker's grandfather will turn out to be an MD at GS.
I disagree.
While I don't think you should accumulate connections like Facebook friends, having more connections allows you to connect to more people. For starters, the more connections you have, the more likely you are to be a 2nd or 3rd connection to somebody *ELSE*, and that somebody else is usually the person you want to end up trying to network with.
If you aren't a 2nd or 3rd, they aren't going to show up in your search results, and if they do, you won't be able to attempt to connect with them. I think tactically adding connections is a smart thing to do.
I'm a bit confused by your post, if you need a lot of connections in order to find useful people why wouldn't you add everyone you've at least spoken to once? (like facebook)
If Joe Schmo is some schlep at a crappy job in an industry you don't care about, he isn't likely to have connections that are worthwhile to you. Focus on building your connections through your Alumni base and that should start to open doors to high-value peers in different companies, etc.
Linked-In networking is a marathon, not a sprint.
i think this is extremely narrow-minded. I say connect with anyone and everyone while you are NOT looking for a job so that when you are, you have as large a network as possible. How hard is it to have them as a connection. Is it really a burden to you? Even if there is a .01% chance that this person could ever help you in a job search, why would you risk out missing that opportunity when it takes ~3 seconds to add someone.
Too bad you didn't know that Joe Schmo's brother in law is an VP at an elite MM bank looking to fill an analyst role with your name on it.
I suppose. But like someone else mentioned, when you see a person is adding 20 new connections a day it does come off as a little desperate. Whole point I was trying to make was more connections are better than less, but try to keep the quality high.
My name is Nicky, but you can call me Dre.
yea I agree about getting
yea I agree about getting LinkedIn. If someone doesn't have it, it makes them look unprofessional or don't care about networking. If someone doesn't have facebook, you might think they're antisocial right? Just get it and fill it out. It's not like it takes a lot of time.
Moneyball
See my other WSO blog posts
When you join, you should be
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WallStreetOasis.com: Besides,
Good stuff Dublin, I don't
My name is Nicky, but you can call me Dre.
dublin: WallStreetOasis.com
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Cheers. And while I'm at it,
Husky32: 808: If I look
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/big-4-accounting
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/entrepreneur
aempirei: 808: If I look
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/big-4-accounting
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/entrepreneur
Husky32: Also do any of you
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/big-4-accounting
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/entrepreneur
808: aempirei: 808: If I
My name is Nicky, but you can call me Dre.
lol - I don't get yours
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/big-4-accounting
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/entrepreneur
LinkedIn has been a huge
Is it possible to obtain a
I don't accept a request
A lot of people do certain things to add days to their life. I do things to add life to my days.
I use it mainly for finding
Was a lurker for couple
The Knicks are back?
808: If I look someone up on
I can tell you how I made each of my millions - but not where I got the very first
linkedin is free and requires
Money Never Sleeps? More like Money Never SUCKS amirite?!?!?!?
why would it matter how many
dublin: Cheers. And while I'm
John Rolfe: dublin: Cheers.
A lot of people do certain things to add days to their life. I do things to add life to my days.
APAE: John
John Rolfe: APAE: John
A lot of people do certain things to add days to their life. I do things to add life to my days.
brandon st randy: 808: If I
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/big-4-accounting
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/entrepreneur
WallStreetOasis.com: dublin