Should I Keep My LinkedIn Account

Should I Keep My LinkedIn Account I got an email from a colleague who says hes had this one question for a few months: Why should I keep LinkedIn? This is a good question.  Perhaps, maybe, you shouldnt. Maybe you should delete it. For most people, let me suggest that theres no harm or commitment or money involved in keeping their LinkedIn account. It doesnt make sense to delete your LinkedIn account, simply because it takes almost nothing to get it, and keep it up. Im not one of those LinkedIn enthusiasts that almost-blindly declares that you HAVE TO, or that not being on LinkedIn is a deadly mistake (um, its not deadly), or that if you are not on LinkedIn, you dont exist (Ive quoted recruiters on that one, though).  Not being on LinkedIn is not the end of the world.  Your career will not collapse, and you wont be the laughing stock of the block if you dont have a LinkedIn account. The cost of having a LinkedIn account is so low (no money, just a little bit of time), and usually there is NO HARM (barring the weirdo stalkers that some people have to deal with) that Im an advocate of having one.  Here is my advice for doing the least amount possible on LinkedIn: Get a free account Spend a couple/few hours on your Profile. Ignore all the invitations you get from people (unless you want to take a half second and accept Thats a low-maintenance approach to having a LinkedIn account, and as far as some people are concerned, existing. If you are wondering how to optimize your LinkedIn Profile, check this Pluralsight course: LinkedIn Strategy: Optimize Your Profile. You can get a 30 day pass to Pluralsight, no credit card required, through JibberJobber just check out the video here. All of my advice to help you have a great LinkedIn profile is in that video. Lets go back to the question what if you arent getting any value out of LinkedIn? Its not working for you? It seems like too many articles I read about LinkedIn on mainstream sites have more negative comments about LinkedIn than positive comments. Many people are frustrated, not finding value, etc. But that doesnt mean there isnt value to be found. My argument is simple: in less than a couple of hours you can have a good-enough profiile, and then move on to the rest of your life. Really, nothing to lose. If you want to do more, you can. If you want to get more, you can.  Youll have to put some time and effort into it.  Youll want to watch my LinkedIn: Proactive Strategies course on Pluralsight (again free, this is how). Why would you keep it, and do nothing with it? Perhaps someone will find you. A new boss, a new partner, etc. Why would you not keep it?  Perhaps you are worried about getting spam through LinkedIn. Or recruiters wont stop bugging you. Or you really do have a stalker.  Im not going to say you have to have an account. You can certainly live without one, and you can do very well. Its not a requirement for success. But for the cost, it seems like an easy choice to make. Should I Keep My LinkedIn Account I got an email from a colleague who says hes had this one question for a few months: Why should I keep LinkedIn? This is a good question.  Perhaps, maybe, you shouldnt. Maybe you should delete it. For most people, let me suggest that theres no harm or commitment or money involved in keeping their LinkedIn account. It doesnt make sense to delete your LinkedIn account, simply because it takes almost nothing to get it, and keep it up. Im not one of those LinkedIn enthusiasts that almost-blindly declares that you HAVE TO, or that not being on LinkedIn is a deadly mistake (um, its not deadly), or that if you are not on LinkedIn, you dont exist (Ive quoted recruiters on that one, though).  Not being on LinkedIn is not the end of the world.  Your career will not collapse, and you wont be the laughing stock of the block if you dont have a LinkedIn account. The cost of having a LinkedIn account is so low (no money, just a little bit of time), and usually there is NO HARM (barring the weirdo stalkers that some people have to deal with) that Im an advocate of having one.  Here is my advice for doing the least amount possible on LinkedIn: Get a free account Spend a couple/few hours on your Profile. Ignore all the invitations you get from people (unless you want to take a half second and accept Thats a low-maintenance approach to having a LinkedIn account, and as far as some people are concerned, existing. If you are wondering how to optimize your LinkedIn Profile, check this Pluralsight course: LinkedIn Strategy: Optimize Your Profile. You can get a 30 day pass to Pluralsight, no credit card required, through JibberJobber just check out the video here. All of my advice to help you have a great LinkedIn profile is in that video. Lets go back to the question what if you arent getting any value out of LinkedIn? Its not working for you? It seems like too many articles I read about LinkedIn on mainstream sites have more negative comments about LinkedIn than positive comments. Many people are frustrated, not finding value, etc. But that doesnt mean there isnt value to be found. My argument is simple: in less than a couple of hours you can have a good-enough profiile, and then move on to the rest of your life. Really, nothing to lose. If you want to do more, you can. If you want to get more, you can.  Youll have to put some time and effort into it.  Youll want to watch my LinkedIn: Proactive Strategies course on Pluralsight (again free, this is how). Why would you keep it, and do nothing with it? Perhaps someone will find you. A new boss, a new partner, etc. Why would you not keep it?  Perhaps you are worried about getting spam through LinkedIn. Or recruiters wont stop bugging you. Or you really do have a stalker.  Im not going to say you have to have an account. You can certainly live without one, and you can do very well. Its not a requirement for success. But for the cost, it seems like an easy choice to make. Should I Keep My LinkedIn Account I got an email from a colleague who says hes had this one question for a few months: Why should I keep LinkedIn? This is a good question.  Perhaps, maybe, you shouldnt. Maybe you should delete it. For most people, let me suggest that theres no harm or commitment or money involved in keeping their LinkedIn account. It doesnt make sense to delete your LinkedIn account, simply because it takes almost nothing to get it, and keep it up. Im not one of those LinkedIn enthusiasts that almost-blindly declares that you HAVE TO, or that not being on LinkedIn is a deadly mistake (um, its not deadly), or that if you are not on LinkedIn, you dont exist (Ive quoted recruiters on that one, though).  Not being on LinkedIn is not the end of the world.  Your career will not collapse, and you wont be the laughing stock of the block if you dont have a LinkedIn account. The cost of having a LinkedIn account is so low (no money, just a little bit of time), and usually there is NO HARM (barring the weirdo stalkers that some people have to deal with) that Im an advocate of having one.  Here is my advice for doing the least amount possible on LinkedIn: Get a free account Spend a couple/few hours on your Profile. Ignore all the invitations you get from people (unless you want to take a half second and accept Thats a low-maintenance approach to having a LinkedIn account, and as far as some people are concerned, existing. If you are wondering how to optimize your LinkedIn Profile, check this Pluralsight course: LinkedIn Strategy: Optimize Your Profile. You can get a 30 day pass to Pluralsight, no credit card required, through JibberJobber just check out the video here. All of my advice to help you have a great LinkedIn profile is in that video. Lets go back to the question what if you arent getting any value out of LinkedIn? Its not working for you? It seems like too many articles I read about LinkedIn on mainstream sites have more negative comments about LinkedIn than positive comments. Many people are frustrated, not finding value, etc. But that doesnt mean there isnt value to be found. My argument is simple: in less than a couple of hours you can have a good-enough profiile, and then move on to the rest of your life. Really, nothing to lose. If you want to do more, you can. If you want to get more, you can.  Youll have to put some time and effort into it.  Youll want to watch my LinkedIn: Proactive Strategies course on Pluralsight (again free, this is how). Why would you keep it, and do nothing with it? Perhaps someone will find you. A new boss, a new partner, etc. Why would you not keep it?  Perhaps you are worried about getting spam through LinkedIn. Or recruiters wont stop bugging you. Or you really do have a stalker.  Im not going to say you have to have an account. You can certainly live without one, and you can do very well. Its not a requirement for success. But for the cost, it seems like an easy choice to make.