If you really think about it, LinkedIn is quite remarkable. It’s like a game of six degrees of separation, only it’s actually two. But with just these two, you can exponentially find great contacts who are connections of your connections, and they can find connections of your connections and possibly increase your business to be able to live the life you dream as a painter, writer, big wave surfer, or an arctic explorer.
The rules of etiquette on LinkedIn are initially enforced with gentle nudging followed by social ostracism and eventually beheading.Let’s say you want to reach a 2nd or 3rd level connection, the correct procedure is to ask one of your 1st level connections for an introduction. Recently, someone asked me for my help in just that way.
“Hi Harry, I know we only know each other from LinkedIn, but I was wondering if you could introduce me to Jeff B. who is the CEO at a company that I’m hoping to seek employment from. I appreciate any help you can give me on this matter.”
Yours truly,
Jane
Here’s where it gets tricky. I was about to start work at Jeff’s company at a six-figure salary, so I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to introduce Jane before I had even begun. But since I was so deliriously happy about my new position, I decided to pay it forward and give Jane the requested introduction.
Unfortunately, Jeff has been going through a well-documented public divorce and he recently declared public war on a tabloid that threatened to release embarrassing photos and texts from his personal life.
So, Jeff felt it was extremely insensitive on my part to bother him when his entire life is being meticulously scrutinized and retracted my job offer and disconnected his links to me. He then checked out Jane’s profile and hired her for the job I was supposed to get, but only on condition that she never have contact with me ever again.
Sadly, I had just given my two weeks notice to my employer at the time, and I have subsequently become unemployed, depressed and homeless, so I wrote this at a Starbucks.
Meanwhile, Jane is apparently ecstatic with her new job and large salary, but in keeping with Jeff’s orders, I never did hear it from her. You see, Linkedin notified me of Jane’s wonderful new job and suggested that I offer my congratulations.
And that is how to use Linkedin in a nutshell.