What online communities are useful to your career?

Maybe you could add "none of the above" to the poll.
I haven't found ANY of the ones listed helpful to my career, but then I don't actively work with any of them to update or aggressively seek business.

Add "None of the above" in poll as requested

Wes Bucey said:

Maybe you could add "none of the above" to the poll. <snip>

Click to expand...

Added per your and AnaMariaVR2's PM request.

I marked LinkedIn

Re: Add "None of the above" in poll as requested

Marc for adding the "none of the above" option.

I voted "none of the above" because for the most part, folks who hire management consultants such as I don't seem to be trolling for candidates on social networks.

Especially important to note is that (almost by definition) early adopters of things like social networks and high tech solutions are not the kind of folk who find themselves in need of outsiders to help them formulate strategy. They are more likely to be outsourcing specialty contractors who can help them with short term implementation of parts of the strategies devised by these early adopters themselves.

About three years ago, I became friends with a fellow ASQ member who was really a Lean guru. We had been charter members of the "Advanced Manufacturing Interest Group" which evolved into the Lean Division of ASQ. He had this swell idea (and the software and hardware to implement it) to provide web-based counseling and training in Lean strategy and technique. He was stunned to discover he had no takers, not one, after a year of trying to promote this "system."

In a long phone call, we discussed the situation and decided that the folks who were his natural market simply were not technologically advanced enough to step up to such an innovative program.

I expect that social networks (I consider Linked In a type of social network) are great tools for folks who already know what they want, but almost useless for the folks who are intimidated by fast-paced modern technology, even though they are the ones who stand to benefit by adopting it.

I went for none of the above too: I only use one of them, and I do so in a very limited way. Maybe it could be important if I choose to make it so, but I do not feel comfortable with that.

/Claes

I voted for Linkedin.
But there tooo, there are other-features missing...which are much desirable...viz., some mechanism to delink the views/opinions from the employers etc.,!!! (viz., link to Blogs...publications etc., either not-used properly&completely...)

Regarding relevance/reference of these sites, its still at very nascent stage;
Right Now, It just, reflects the urge from the individual-user to post to outside world; the profile-recommendations etc.,
I agree with Wes, I guess, these are yet to be taken seriously by recruiters.

Having said that, is LinkedIn counted as social networking site! (is elsmar the same?) Surely they have taken the 'concept' of social-networking to the professional/work areas! Right?

"None". I don't find broad scope social networking useful. Occasionally entertaining. Mostly annoying. But never useful.

On the flipside, the 2 very focused communities in which I participate (this quality geek forum and a physics geek forum) are incredibly helpful/ useful.

The problem with LinkedIn or other social networks is you have to do a lot of work. Not work that makes you better or more qualified but rather work to help establish a formal brand. It really becomes more about marketing. For a lot of people that self promotion is necessary becasue they have something to sell on a regular basis (consultants, 3rd party auditors, trainers). I don't like to feel like I am on stage so social networking for business is not fun for me.

I only need to sell my self TO A WIDE PUBLIC once or twice a decade when I may look for a new job. The rest of the time my market is very narrow and just mostly my current business (boss, suppliers, customers, employees). So for my personal brand, my marketing efforts are better suited focusing on a much narrower audience. I could spend an hour filling out a detailed LinkedIn profile for some strangers I would never deal with or I could put together an outlook calendar reminder for my local group's members birthdays and anniversaries. The return is much higher for me when working locally. Large market networking matters to me but not much.

I guess it just depends on what you want to get out of the service.