LinkedIn and Branding: Facebook Falls Short.

It's not who I am underneath... but what I do... that defines me. - "Batman Begins" (2005)

When I think of Facebook or LinkedIn, I have a vague image of a two-sided coin in my mind. This is quite similar to how people function in their everyday lives. An individual may behave a certain way at home or with their peers compared to when they are at work and in a truly responsibility-minded mode.

Facebook has become a social, yet very personal, place. Fortunately or unfortunately, many people believe it okay to post or say certain types of things without fear of consequence. As a result, people will post about their weekend, their love life, their workplace, etc. While most have their privacy settings fine-tuned so that not much of these intimate life details leak out, others have not thought that far ahead. As a result, a prospective employer may decide to check out a person's Facebook profile and find something that does not agree with their ideals. As such,  personal information can be used to the detriment of an individual, even if they conduct themselves very reasonably in impersonal situations. This is not, however, to discount the issue that certain things can adversely affect someone's reputation. Because of this, Facebook cannot and should not be permitted to become a professional tool except for advertising and other similar activities.

LinkedIn has transformed from its initial role as a job search-centered website to a career-oriented social network. What does this mean? Users have the opportunity to socialize with friends, coworkers, family, and even prospective coworkers. News stories can be shared, as can most other website URLs. However, individuals are encouraged more-so to share details more related to their work rather than their personal lives. This includes skills, hobbies, awards, etc. Anything that might showcase their value. As staff members of LinkedIn say themselves on the company blog, "Sharing great companies and products is an excellent way to demonstrate your expertise and knowledge, and it builds good will with your professional connections who value your opinion as a trusted resource."*

As alluded to earlier, people tend to lead double-lives - no they are not superheroes. The quote mentioned before really makes sense when you think about it. People can live a certain way, and that way should often remain in the shadows and not cast into light. However, people should be able to do their own thing, their own way, and as such let it define who they are to the world. It is sort of like switching a flashlight from its regular beam mode to lantern mode. They each have their respective duties.

So what does this mean for using LinkedIn? LinkedIn allows you to brand yourself and express just how you can be in a public, responsible, setting. You want to be allowed to show the world what you can do. Not only that, but you have so many opportunities to prove yourself, whether through sharing stories, commenting on them, reaching out to people you know in the workplace or even those in a place you want to be. After all, it really comes down to who you know.... not what you know.

*    http://blog.linkedin.com/2013/03/04/get-the-most-out-of-linkedin-company-pages/
**    http://smallbiztrends.com/2012/08/linkedin-professional-connections.html