How long will the social media "fashion" last? What is the basis for LinkedIn? The CEO of a well-known professional networking website gives answers to journalist Charlie Rose, which are republished by the newspaper Kefalaio, while describing the major changes taking place in the world of work.
You think about possible changes that could be made to the work landscape – you’ve even written a new book on the subject called “The Alliance.” What has changed?
Most people haven’t yet grasped the reality, which is that there is no such thing as a lifetime contract with an employer. The world doesn’t work that way anymore. Yet, in training programs and in the hiring process, this notion of an expected permanent employment relationship continues to prevail, and it doesn’t lead to honest conversation. Both the candidate and the company know that it’s very possible that the employee will go on to work somewhere else, and this omission creates distrust. LinkedIn does something I’d never thought of. In the first interview he ever had, he asked the candidate what job he wanted to do after LinkedIn.
Where did this way of thinking lead you?
It may come as no surprise to you or anyone who knows me, but it introduced me to the magical world of Silicon Valley. You need a network where you can find people who will say, “I know someone who can do this. I have a client for this. I know people. I have funding.” A new technology company has a number of resources – all of which are essential to its success. The speed with which you are able to bring them together is precisely the power of that network. How can we, as a society, strengthen networks in different areas to build a stronger network, foster entrepreneurship, create jobs and economic prosperity?
Is social media growth starting to slow down? What room for growth is there now that Facebook has surpassed 1 billion users?
It has 1.3 billion users, I think. Yes, there are indeed changes happening in the world of technology. There is a large part of the planet that is now connected to the Internet, because of the proliferation of smartphones. That creates a surge for everything (social media). This sector is already feeling the aches in its joints from the steep rise it has taken, but the number of people coming online is far greater than the number of people already connected.
What kind of progress has LinkedIn made? Do you think people are making good use of your service?
If you ask someone, “Do you understand what it means to live and work in a networked world?”, most people will say, “Of course, I have a cell phone.” In reality, in a networked world, there are millions of people searching, and the question is what do you do to be found?.
So, the point is to find yourself through social media?
People say, "I'm overloaded, I don't want new connections." So you just want to send a new signal, not create more noise. That's why you need the best filtering mechanism. But being able to be found is important. For example, my LinkedIn is mainly aimed at people who want to come to work at LinkedIn and people who are looking for investments. That's how I made the investment in Airbnb. They came and found me. They already knew we would be receptive. Of course, they might think you're crazy. And that's how LinkedIn is designed: If people come to you through someone they know and trust, then you've built a really good filter.
Source: rizopoulospost.com
