theSpoke or LinkedIn…?

Well I have never used those places to network but the idea of networking online is growing very fast, especially for students. I think that in my generation, computers have become such an essential thing that people my age are devoting much more time and effort in order to a part of all of that.
I looked at the theSpoke and Linkedin and I think that Linkedin was a little more appealing just because theSpoke was targeting more of the upcoming technological students. Linkedin seemed like more of a job network hidden behind a social network. Something that I am sure you have heard of is The Facebook. I can probably count on my hand how many people I know who are NOT on the facebook.
It is used as a social network but I have heard rumors that employers have even been looking at students’s profiles to learn more about them. You can find out anything from a person’s major, his or her hobbies and interests, their relationship status and even pictures. It is addictive but there has been a lot of talk lately about where it is going.

One of my friends recently started dating a guy she met on the Facebook. Another one of my friends found a job by looking up people with her major from other schools and talking to them!

I’m on LinkedIn & have been for 3-4 years.

You don’t want to rely on it, even a smidgeon, for job hunting, and it’s never going to replace the networking you should be doing — whether as a new grad or a pro with 30 years experience.

That said, as I’ve slowly knitted my LinkedIn net, I’ve have some good moments of serendiptity:

* I’ve read an article by X and, on search, I find that one of my contacts knows X…

* A friend wants an angle in Y industry and, on search, I find that a contact has just moved into that industry…

And I also find handy for re-connecting… we all move around; it is inevitable that we lose touch with professional colleagues. But I find “lost” contacts and I almost always share a connection… making it easy to get back in touch.

At the end of the day, though, it’s just a tool… Rolodex on skates.

I teach an advanced communication skills class at Southern Methodist University, for which I’ve set up a main blog. Each student has his or her own blog site linked to the class blog. We’re discussing topics pertaining to corporate communications and PR in all sectors. We invite outside communications professionals to blog their comments about these and other topics in order to give students some “real world” perspective about the industry. It is my hope that through this interaction with professionals in the field, that students will build a network of contacts that may lead to a job.
Visit our site and let me know your thoughts. It’s smuccpaclass.blogspot.com

For Nina: Welcome to MarcomBlog.com. Please encourage your students to visit this blog and join in the conversations.

Tara: More and more, students are checking out LinkedIn and other professional networking sites. I received two emails this week from former students that have joined the fray at LinkedIn, for instance.

Now, for them to take all the energy and time spent at Facebook and apply that to LinkedIn and theSpoke - that’s what I’m hoping to see.

Even I have heard about it. It’s really nice if students are going for it. Blog writing is a good practice. Students would get encouraged and interact more and more with people. They would come to know about their faults and gain more and more informations. I m a teacher too and even I want my students to follow so.

I find that one appealing aspect to these sites is the added element of credibility that you won’t receive through traditional means. When you find that your friends are in some way connected to a person whose service interests you, you can do some asking around.

Essentially, these are a reformation of the Facebook. I don’t think that many people understand the entire purpose behind the Facebook is to keep track of people, not to waste hours digging to find if so and so is “in a relationship” with someone new. LinkedIn and theSpoke are reformed to cater to the interests and tastes of career people. The creators of these sites are filling a need for connection that is usually accomplished through less technological and less effective ways. I believe that people around my age will become very interested in these sites, because we have been exposed and accustomed to keeping tabs on our colleagues. Thanks for giving us the links. I had never heard of them before now!

I recently posted my resume on monsterjobs.com. It’s a great website and has great resources for finding a job, salary information and career advice. It even has a blog with a lot of useful information. One section of Monster has a Networking Profile. You can put on a picture, work experience, education, certifications, skills and interests. Once you complete the Networking Profile, you can go to Network Now to start networking. You can search by keyword or by member location to find others in your desired network. There are a lot of people on Monster because there is so much publicity for this site. Other sites like theSpoke and LikedIn aren’t as well known. I am also a member of LinkedIn but I think Monster’s website is easier to navigate and I’ve found it more resourceful. Any website that allows for networking is going to be helpful in some way or another. I don’t think it would hurt to join theSpoke, LinkedIn and Monster to connect with potential employers.

To me, these websites serve “pre-interview” function that can be helpful to both job seekers and employees. It’s never fun when your interview is the first time you’ve met or even heard of the person on the other side of the table, and I’m sure the inverse is true for employers. There’s tension, a bit of awkwardness and that need to get to know each other before the real interview starts.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of traditional interviews. I think the pressure that comes with them can bring out the best and worst in people. For example, I had a job interview last week that challenged me to perform. It was in an intimidating place with powerful person who definitely had other things to do rather than sit down an eager college kid. The pressure that came from the environment and my desire for the job seemed to elevate my performance when others might have cracked. So the interview is vital to evaluating a potential employee, and it should be.

Still, I would like to have been more familiar with the employer. I spent at least 30 minutes looking for the guy’s picture on the internet just so I would have an idea of who he was. In my case, a site like one of these would have been very helpful. I just don’t want to have lost the job before I interview just because some kid has a killer Spoke profile.

LinkedIn and theSpoke are ineresting websites with the right idea, but I don’t know if I’m totally sold on them. Spoke seemed a little young and edgy, and really driven more toward technology-oriented people. Now, I know that most jobs require techno-knowledge, but that website seemed to be directed at a more narrowly-defined group.
LinkedIn is a little more broad in its appeal. For new graduates, it could be a useful tool to pick up a few leads on some jobs in areas not particularly close to them. However, I wonder if employers think LinkedIn is completely credible. It seems that any average Joe could create a great profile and get a job. I am of the persuasion that you work hard, make connections the old-fashion way (through people, face-to-face) and then interview for a job. Not that those who use LinkedIn are any less qualified, I’m just not sure how much I would use the website.
Again, I feel that those website are more use for those who are looking to see what kind of job they would like, but not necessarily secure the job.

I had never heard of either theSpoke or LinkedIn, but when I went to visit the two theSpoke seems to be more like the currently popular Facebook or MySpace online profile/networking. The only thing is theSpoke was somewhat confusing to me. I was not completely impressed with the layout and the site itself is not appealing. With that said, I’m sure it could be a great networking opportunity dispite my opinion. That seems to be what these sites are being used for lately. A way for graduates to make connections, find jobs, reconnect with people, but how can anyone really know who a person is just by seeing a few pictures or reading someone’s profile. I’ve always thought of these online profiles as being funny and I’m sure people say amusing things that make sense only to them and their friends. It is scary to think future employers are looking at these profiles and judging who they feel will be the greatest asset to their company. I think if their are company’s reviewing these online profiles they should take them with the grain of salt and still meet the person behind the website.

This is a very interesting tool that I have never heard of. I explored both sites, but was immediately turned off by theSpoke. I found that LinkedIn was more instantly informative and appealing. I did the flash tour that is available and really felt that the information given was good.

It is definitely nice to see that there are sites out there that are better than spending hours on the facebook. I mean, lets face it, you are not going to get a job from the facebook, and probably won’t from either of these sites. But at least these two sites can possibly put you in touch with people that may be able to help you get a job. These seem like very positive tools that I am considering becoming a part of.

Thanks for bringing these sites to my attention.

Like many of the above commenters have said, until your post I was neither familiar with theSpoke nor was I familiar with Linkedln. After looking at both of the sites, Linkedln seems more user friendly to me. I could be very wrong with my first impression, but theSpoke seems more geared towards those interested in the technological work field than any other. However, I think that both of these websites are a great idea for those, like myself, that are graduating soon and looking to start the networking and interviewing process.

As my graduation date looms close in the future, the most reoccurring piece of advice I hear, is: network, network, network. Professors, PR professionals, and family friends all say getting a job depends on who you know.

However, my only concern is, are the big public relations agencies and corporations (that are looking for PR professionals) visiting these websites on a regular basis? And if so, are they considered to be of credible source to employers? I am new to this concept, and perhaps that is why I feel skeptical about the idea. But like some of the above repliers have said, it appears like pretty much anybody could create a username and profile.

While I have read the comments and have absorbed the positives and negatives of such sites as theSpoke and LinkedIn, I have to say that I believe they are beneficial. They give students (and veteran professionals) the opportunity to have another resource to network. I work in the Career Services office on campus and we always stress to students the importance of networking and putting themselves out there for a job.
I believe that it is to the student’s advantage to use all resources given to them. I also believe that they are not “coping out” by using a resource like the two sites to maybe get them ahead in the job search. Do I believe that the sites will miraculously grant eager students a job right out of college? Unlikely, but it never hurts to give myself options.
I personally will not use these services. I will probably do my networking the old fashioned way: face-to-face, e-mails and phone calls. I will use my new tool of blogging to my advantage for networking as well. I think that will be the best way to put myself in the most positive light possible, and when I look for a job that is precisely what I want to do. I have to agree with Crista in her view that with sites like LinkedIn and theSpoke, there is a definite need for in-person interviews as well.
I appreciate that there are others out there who are giving students like me a heads up as to services offered to make the job search less stressful. I will continue to keep my eyes peeled and hope that all goes well.

I, like many of the others that have commented on this blog, had never heard of either of these sites until I visited the links that you had included. I visited thespoke first, and I really don’t see how a website such as that would help bloggers create meaningful relationships with potential employers. After reading a few of the entries, it was obvious to me that it was just another typical blogging site that college students usually participate in such as myspace or the somewhat outdated livejournal. Most of the entries that I read just served as an outlet for frustrations with school and relationships or as a way to share with the world their favorite movie or what they planned to do for Valentines. While there is nothing wrong with participating in a blogging site such as this, I don’t understand how it would help with a job search. If I were an employer, I would probably view reading these blogs as a waste of time for the purpose at hand.

I’ve never heard of either of those sites, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good and useful. They may just be the best kept secret in job networking. If I’m the one looking for a job, I don’t want every random joe on the same networking site as me looking for contacts. I think the internet is a beautiful tool to make contacts and find job opportunities anywhere in the world. What other generation has had the ability to sit in their underwear and find a job on the other side of the planet? It’s unheard of, revolutionary, amazing and mind-boggling. I believe this is just the beginning of the online era. Some say we’ve been in it for a while, but I firmly believe the technology is just getting started. It’s still a baby. Who knows what we’ll be doing in five or 10 years. I look forward to what they create next for us to communicate with.

I personally have never heard of either site. I checked them out and they seem interesting, sounds like something i would want to take part in. I especially like the linkedin site, I actually joined while looking at it! One thing is that when you join and say you are a student, out of a huge list of fields, there is no sort of “public relations” you can check, the closest being marketing/advertising. When you are searching for jobs though, public relations is included.
I think blog sites like these are definitely worth my time looking at and posting every once in a while. If even one potential employer called me up from something like this, then it would be worth it. It’s crazy to think employers are actually finding qualified people for their open positions from these websites every day. We sure are living the life in means of technology!

I really like the concept of LinkdIn - i’m a registered member, etc, but I wish they’d open the services up for free. It could be an extremely successful, broad-reaching tool, especially with the current explosion of community sites (like myspace).

I’m currently looking for a MarCom job in VA (I’m currently in FL). It’s proving difficult to connect with people up there. Re-connecting with old friends and college contacts has helped, but I’m hoping tools like these will help take it to the next level.

If anyone’s looking to hire, let me know!

Just like everyone else said, I have never heard of these sites until I read this post. So I went to each site and starting looking around. I found the first site theSpoke to be weird and confusing. I understood the purpose of each of the sites, but the first one had a sort of dark side to it. It was not welcoming to explore and find more about. I think the second one, LinkedIn, was more user friendly and easier to navigate around.
I think they are both great ideas for networking and establishing connections that could help in your career. Courtney and Sarah brought up good examples of facebook and monsterjobs.com for more great spots to network. I am more accustomed to facebook because I have used it before and use it frequently. It is essentially a great way to network and stay in touch with classmates after you graduate to build and maintain connections. Monsterjobs.com is another great resource to post your resume and build relationships with possible employers. I am planning on using some sort of networking over the internet to maintain my connections that I have already established and there are many different possibilities out there to choose from.

Before reading your post I had never heard of either of these sites. I, like most others I’m sure, have heard of the similar job searching site Monster.com. I visited the LinkedIn site and read a little about it, and it seems to be a great resource for finding a job as well as hiring for a position. I actually joined the site so I could get a better feel and understanding for what it was about. I did a search for PR jobs with the keyword ’sports’ and found a number of interesting positions that were hiring. I then went to the websites of the companies that were hiring. These are companies I had never heard of, but seem to have some really interesting positions available. I am not sure I will be playing on the LinkedIn site as much as facebook (it doesn’t seem to have the same addicting qualities), but I will be spending some time on it. I am glad you posted about this, because from my experiences and from reading the previous comments, most of us were unaware that these sites existed. I think this will prove to be a helpful tool, if you actually use it. The jobs will probably not come to you, but if you search them out, this site can be a very useful tool.