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Befriend me? Okay - but I'll befriend you back!

So I have this dilemma I hoping you can help me with. Every time I open my email, I get invitations to become associates with people on LinkedIN that I don’t know.

Now, I’m used to this whole befriending thing, and the reason I social network is to network, BUT, on a site like LinkedIN, where you are supposed to help promote and network with people you trust and know it sometimes feels weird.

Do you feel the same?

Before you answer though, I am Twittering, Facebook-ing, ActiveRain-ing all at the same time with people I don’t know so maybe I’m just full of it. But I figured I would ask anyway.

Signed,

Full of it!

Posted by Darrin Friedman on 01/31/2009 09:47 AM

Comments (9)

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9 Comments on Befriend me? Okay - but I'll befriend you back!

JAN

Darrin, the answer is IT IS TOTALLY UP TO YOU. You set the guidelines who is YOUR associate or friend. I am not on Facebook, but the strangers coming after you there are fast and furious, as what I hear is going on at Twitter. If you have something in common with someone you may want to link, or if you have tougher standards just say no. Don't sweat it too much. It is not worth it.

I like being friends with local real estate associates and investors. I do check out their online profile before I accept, and I check out their network.

I joined Twitter, then unjoined. It felt spooky to have all these people I don't know "follow" me. I do like Linked-In. I had people find me, or I found people I lost track of. But, I also get emails from people I don't know - and if I don't know them - I don't agree to be linked. But, that's just me.

Anna's Contact Info

I asked about it on Twitter once because my Facebook friends look like my Linkedin "friends" or whatever they are on Linkedin and I don't know a lot of them... Someone local told me (via Twitter) to use Facebook for real friends and Linkedin for business contacts. Our Realtor board is having a class on how to use Facebook... I may go.

I don't mind following people I don't know on Twitter but just because I read someone's tweets doesn't make them a friend o'mine.

How will you get to know people you'd like to network with if you don't connect with them? Isn't the point to broaden your horizons by connecting with people you don't know? That isn't to say you should endorse anyone you are connected with, whether you know them or not. I feel connecting is fine.

Kathy

Do you know everyone who adds you as an associate here on AR? Do you know everyone who's blog you read or comment on here? Or elsewhere? It is the same principle. You connect with people to get to know them. You connect with people to network and build relationships. I'm stalked by lots of people on Twitter, I've got hundreds of connections on LinkedIn and tons of Facebook "friends." I won't recommend any of them if I don't have first-hand knowledge of their skills and ethics. But I'll network till the cows come home!

~Renae

I recently had someone on Linked-in ask me to give them a recommendation. I dont even know them. I just ignored the email. Befriending is one thing - giving recommendation for someone you hardly know - is silly.

FEB

Completely agree, the answer is up to you. My personal view of these particular sites, in descending order of "intimacy", for lack of a better word:

Twitter: If you are following me and/or if you are part of one of three worlds I am interested in: (1) Real Estate, (2) Social Media, or (3) the Boston Red Sox, I am likely following you back. Even if you don't follow me, I'll probably follow you if your profile and tweets interest me and I think I'll learn from you.

LinkedIn: I need to have worked with you, know you, or plan to do business with you. I have 2 exceptions in my LinkedIn connections, and they are folks who I have gotten to know through Twitter that I feel very comfortable with as a connection.

Facebook: A step beyond LinkedIn. Not just any business connection, but someone I trust, like, and would have over for dinner or lunch. I put pictures of my kids on FB, I'm not really up for sharing that with the entire world.

My views may be a bit too conservative, but it works for me. Hope that is helpful....

(and now that I have found you on Twitter, Darrin, you are a Twitter Friend, Facebook Friend and LinkedIn connection!)

FEB

I figure, what can it hurt? I don't post anything too personal anywhere that I wouldn't want to share with the world.

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