Derek Featherstone, writes how it would make social networking life easier to have our contact lists and profile details automatically siphoned in from our personal websites.
While the technology/backend part of it might not be palatable to a majority of social/business networkers, it would indeed solve the problem of re-building of contacts whenever we join a new networking portal – and there are many already existing and more sprouting by the day.
Brilliant thought nonetheless and like him, I’ll wait till someone comes up with a front-end for this solution. Till then I am going to carry on with the arduous task of re-inviting connections on the new networking website that I’m going to join this week!
November 21st, 2006
Checked out the Services tab on LinkedIn to see how I fare on the Graphic/Web Designer category under Service Provider Recommendations.
I have seven recommendations on my LinkedIn professional profile as a graphic/web designer, one recommendation as a Creative Head and one recommendation as a business consultant.
Under the Service Provider directory my profile is listed as having only two recommendations as a Graphic/Web Designer and one as a Business Consultant.
I wonder why there is such misinformation? It affects my business directly – since I use LinkedIn for work and it is such an important part of my business development and helps me to generate revenues, such misinformation affects my revenues!
I have written to Customer Support and LinkedIn and lets hope they not their usual tardy selves with the reply and the solution/explanation. [ Will update this post about the same ].
Another grouse I have with this system of Service Provider categorization is that it allows me to choose the best professional from a certain category only in a given geographical location – which is a huge advantage no doubt. But it should also have an option to allow me to search for the best professional in a certain category in ALL of LinkedIn. I know I’ll come out tops so I’ll be happy to have it implemented 
UPDATE I
Check the comments to hear LinkedIn’s side – they were prompt with this one
The best way to access the Worldwide listing would be to use this URL. Clicking on the globe icon is supposed to work according to the LinkedIn reply below but it doesn’t.
The Service providers recommendation listing shows only those recommendations that are given by clients. So if your client chooses a different options instead of “I was Naina’s client” then it will not show up on the service provider’s directory. The other recommendations made by people you’ve networked with will also not show up because in all likelihood you haven’t worked with these people – and this a fantastic thing that LinkedIn has taken care of [ sometimes I think that there are so many tiny little things that are so important and LinkedIn manages to take care of pretty much all of them ].
I have frou client recommendations as a Graphic/Web Designer and two of the clients did not choose the “I was Naina’s client option”. One has chosen “was a consultant or contractor to Naina at aside” and the other has chosen “was with another company when working with Naina at aside”.
So the system is open to human error and manipulation [ as all systems are ] and my only recourse would be to get in touch with these two clients and request them to edit their recommendations!
I’ll update on how that goes!
November 20th, 2006
Their homepage says that openBC will be back as Xing!
Brilliant! I can’t wait to see the changes they have implemented to make life easier for me as an online networker and as someone who runs an online business.
The announcement is followed with three screenshots, one of openBC from 2003 – 2004, one of openBC from 2004 – 2006 and one of the new Xing. Looks all good to me. Looking forward to the re-launch.
November 18th, 2006
Here’s what I have learnt as a woman business networker and entrepreneur in India:
If you really need something done and will need someone’s help, pick up the phone, give them a call and ASK. If you write them an e-mail, your chances of success are automatically reduced by 50%. Not everyone in India has time to check e-mail and even if they do, e-mail communication is not taken seriously by a majority of people.
Be forthright and let them know how exactly you would want them to help you. If they have the time and the ability to help you, they will. Very rarely will you find someone in India who will say “No, I can’t help you.” because Indians truly believe that if they put their minds to it, nothing is impossible. I have had complete strangers refer business to me because I asked them to.
If you are a woman and are going for a business meeting, dress professionally and avoid skimpy clothes – by Indian standards, a skirt in itself [ whatever the length ] is not advisable. If you’re wearing Western clothes, wear a shirt and trousers and if the buttons on your shirt are far apart, please put a safety pin in between otherwise you’ll have people staring south of your face. Indian are very unabashed when it comes to staring.
Try to make friends. How do you normally converse with friends? Even when you’re talking about serious work, there are some words that you use, which make the conversation casual. Learn some Hindi words – the moment you put a smile on the other person’s face, you’ve ensured that they will remember you.
Most Indians love to talk. Let them. When you do get a chance to talk, depending on what the other person was talking about, extend the conversation. It might not necessarily be about work. In a lot of meetings, sometimes, work never gets talked about because people in that meeting are first building relationships. If they are not comfortable making small-talk to you, there isn’t going to be any business.
Pick up that phone.
If you do send an e-mail, follow up with a phone call informing the e-mail recipient that you have sent the e-mail .
If its possible, eat a meal instead of going for a boring boardroom meeting.
If you are meeting someone who has children, ask them about how their kids are doing. Indians love boasting about their children.
If you are doing business with an Indian who is now settled abroad, they will be more professional in terms of respecting your time and you. In India, it’s quite normal if someone makes you wait before they actually meet you – no matter what the scheduled meeting time. But if you’re non-Indian then your chances of meeting on schedule are higher than if an Indian is meeting an Indian.
In India, networking works in all spheres of life – whether you need a plumber or a husband or a business partner, word-of-mouth is king. If you do make a mistake, the best way to get it over with is to acknowledge that you screwed up and that you’re sorry. If you deny it, on the face of it you might escape a bad reputation but the gossip mills in India work overtime and before you know it, everyone in business circles will know that you screwed up and did not own up.
While more and more professionals in India are getting into online business networks, they sign-up either because someone told then that it’s the latest trend/rage/snob thing to do or because they genuinely believe in the potential of the internet and online business networking. Most will be in the former category and will actually never really use the platform unless they lose their job or want a great candidate. It would be easier to get in touch with such people if you just call up their company’s board number and ask for them instead of sending them an introduction via LinkedIn, for example.
Most of the points above might be more relevant to the small-business owners and individuals doing business in India and not so much for large corporations and established companies. Some points above might also be relevant in general business situations. There’s no offense meant to anyone, these are things I’ve experienced as I’ve done business in India and with Indian clients.
November 14th, 2006
I have also now managed to launch my personal blog and website at www.nainaredhu.com where the main aim is to create awareness about my art [ which would fall under the category of Indian contemporary art since I'm in India ] and hopefully create a market for the same.
November 14th, 2006
