Linked In Endorsements?

[Philip Perkins]

Someone explain this to me: a bunch of well meaning people who really only know me online have "endorsed" me for sound, video etc etc on LinkedIn.  I appreciate the votes of confidence, but what do these endorsements really mean?  Most of these people don't really know my work very well if at all, so why would someone looking me up pay any attention?  Has anyone found these endorsements useful in getting work?  Do people set any store by these endorsements?

 

philp

[Richard Lightstone, CAS]

I ignore all that Linked-in and Facebook crap. Wish I could block it all.

[Henchman]

I just deleted my LinkedIn this week.

[dfisk]

LinkedIn is only helpful when you are looking for a full time staff gig. 

[fieldmixer]

Linked in is my online resume. New client drops me an email, i reply and include my linked in profile in my signature. Quite handy. I only "link" people I actually know well or have worked with multiple times. As far as the endorsements... It's a nice way to give a little hello/reminder/touch base with friends, clients and colleagues.

[Jon Gilbert]

The Endorsements thing seems to be a way for the Endorser to get more people able to view their profile, I've had several people I barely know endorse me, so there has to be something in it for them.

[johnpaul215]

Has any freelance sound mixer gotten work from LinkedIn? I figured I would create an account because it can't hurt to be listed somewhere else for what I do. I know people in other businesses that use it, but I just get lots of invites to join a film discussion group that's really a producer pitching their project. 

[Jon Gilbert]

I certainly haven't, I set up a profile years ago, to see if it  had any effect, and I get nothing from it, I haven't logged in for months, but I do get emails telling me so and so has endorsed my skills etc.

[Jim Gilchrist]

Gotta be careful with the endorsements. A connection I barely know endorsed me for postproduction skills and the last time I had anything to do with post production is helping a neighbor repair his fence almost 30 years ago.

Best regards,

Jim

[Michael P Clark]

I got a commercial job two days after "linking in" a coordinator, I has never worked for. Found out I was also recommended by someone for this job, but I also like to think it didn't hurt that two days prior she saw my name and profile.

[bmfsnd]

LinkedIn may not be best tailored for our industry - but they have huge SEO ties with search engines, which will increase your "professional" visibility online.  You can choose what info is public, of course, and don't have to use all the features on their site.

[Max Hirtenstein]

When you log into your Linkedin homepage, sometimes a section pops up and says " Does Phil Perkins have experience in Sound Recording, Sound Editing, etc". Many people just will click yes to all. This is why I have endorsements from people I've never worked with. 

[Eric Toline]

Everything else being equal, any publicity is better than no publicity.

 

 

Eric

[Dan Joseph]

Endorsements are the equivalent of Facebook "likes". Press a button with no thought or context needed; it does not mean anything in the grand scheme of things.   The only Job listings on linkedin I see for our industry is Video Editor/Post staff/contracted positions.  With that said it is good to have a updated profile and barely use it then not have one.  Networking with certain people led to a job popping up that led to more networking.

 

I keep my facebook personal and Linkedin/Twitter for work.  Having worked for a internet based company its worth having because web start-ups are learning that there is money in video content and can turn that into a revenue generating product.   I've had coordinators tweet jobs and get a immediate response. 

[Jay Rose]

Ah... here's what it's really about.

 

LinkedIn sent me an ad today, "Free!! $50 Worth of Advertising!!!"  It took a lot of digging, but eventually I was able to determine what that fifty bucks was supposed to buy:

 

Pay per click (CPC) or per 1,000 impressions (CPM)
There are two options for how to pay for your ads: Pay per Click (CPC) and Pay per 1,000 Impressions (CPM). Most people choose CPC, which means that you pay when someone clicks on your ad. This payment method allows you to specify a bid – the maximum amount you’re willing to pay for each click (for example, $3.00 per click).

Each click will cost between $2.00 (the minimum cost per click) and your bid.

...In general, the higher you bid in the Suggested Bid Range, the more likely you are to receive impressions and clicks. Because you’re competing with other advertisers for impressions and clicks, there isn’t a set cost for LinkedIn Ads....

 

You then set a limit for how many clicks per day you're willing to pay for, at the rate you've bid. (Apparently, the bidding is blind. You don't get told how much other people are bidding. It's basically "how much do you want to give us?")

 

Then, when somebody searches for some characteristic that could include you, they might also see your ad on the page. That's if any higher bidders have used up all their clicks for the day, and you haven't used yours. 

 

You can choose to qualify the ad, so that only people from companies of a certain size or industry will see the ad (subject to the above), or only people from Los Angeles.

 

Incidentally, that $50 free credit?

Note: Customers that redeem promotional coupons are still subject to the one-time $5 activation fee for starting a LinkedIn Ads account.

 

 

No idea how this will play out. But FWIW, I'm not going to be investing...

[dfisk]

That looks like google adwords but for LinkedIn, or the new facebook "promote" feature.

 

Back when I was looking for video game work, I found it helpful. There were recruiters on there that I hooked up with and ended up with:

 

1) Meeting the former lead singer of

works in video game audio now.

2) There are lots of recruiters on there for many different industries, and people will headhunt you even if you are in an unrelated field.

3) It can be helpful depending on the industry you are in and if you know how to use LinkedIn properly. 

 

I don't give it much attention these days. I only have so much time in the day to deal with things, and I've found LinkedIn is only really useful if you are looking for work. Otherwise I don't get much out of it.

[nwstudios]

Everything else being equal, any publicity is better than no publicity.

 

 

Eric

 

Not sure how well that is working for Lindsay Lohan

[mikewest]

I'm now over-endorsed but love is all very well!!

 

mike