Professional social networking and the Internet...

[Volpone]

Facebook, LinkedIn, Plaxo, MySpace...

It is becoming harder and harder to avoid the need to have an online social networking presence.

And as a BBS addict, one would think I'd take to social networking like a duck to water, but I dread it--to me it feels like all the misery and discomfort of IRL networking only sadder and more antisocial.

But there's no getting around it. I have more and more people I know on LinkedIn and I've gotten a couple notifications from FaceBook. So I guess I'd better get on that. And while I'm at it, I probably need to build a personal website... hpstare:

 

[Marquis De Sade]

Facebook, LinkedIn, Plaxo, MySpace...

It is becoming harder and harder to avoid the need to have an online social networking presence.

And as a BBS addict, one would think I'd take to social networking like a duck to water, but I dread it--to me it feels like all the misery and discomfort of IRL networking only sadder and more antisocial.

But there's no getting around it. I have more and more people I know on LinkedIn and I've gotten a couple notifications from FaceBook. So I guess I'd better get on that. And while I'm at it, I probably need to build a personal website... hpstare:

You cannot lump LinkedIn along with the other websites you mentioned.
LI is meant to be exclusively used by professionals. It's very important that you filter your LinkedIn contacts in a way that you would be the one benefiting your carreer from the network, and not the opposite. So only keep your most importants contacts/headhunters there. Generally, a LinkedIn list for an established professional would not exceed 50 people. Additionally, the website isn't meant to be a waste of time, like facebook, myspace, etc.