Networking on LinkedIn
The Phenomena of LinkedIn
BY: Britton Stuhldreher
Recently, my inbox was flooded with emails from disgruntled LinkedIn members. The topic: LinkedIn is capping out the number of connections at 30,000. I thought to myself, “Thirty thousand connections? Wow, that’s a lot.” My connections are at 7,600, and I’m amazed by that number. When I first started with LinkedIn a year ago, I was excited to reach 100. Web 2.0 and social networking are new to me, and as a rookie, I have quickly found the value behind being LinkedIn and connecting with individuals who are typically inaccessible.
But, the idea of needing more than 30,000 connections is still foreign to me.
With the number of articles on how to manipulate LinkedIn, clearly, it’s an art to navigate the site and be a savvy LinkedIn user to maximize its value.
When I hear of 30,000 plus connections and read about intricate tools and underground methods to deeply penetrate the site, I become anxiety ridden; am I missing out on something truly powerful?
Supposedly, the 30,000 cap is being instituted because individuals with 30,000 plus connections are competing with LinkedIn’s Corporate Solutions product. One entrepreneur paid $14,000 for the corporate solution product, LinkedIn Talent Advantage, based on their value proposition: “ Tap the largest and most qualified pool of passive candidates, fill key positions, faster, and reduce third party spend. Engage highly qualified passive candidates quickly, leveraging the trust and ease-of-use of LinkedIn InMail. “
I have the Pro account which is $200.00 a month. It seems like a substantial monthly investment when you factor in all other business operating expenses, but it has been an incredible vehicle to connect with potential candidates and decision makers. At this level, I have not felt restricted in any way; I use InMail frequently, I have access to numerous leaders, and requests to connect keep coming in. Accelerating my LinkedIn power or panicking about capping out at 30,000 connections hasn’t crossed my mind.
I must be missing something.