Here are the facts: I have 215 connections, 15,000 2nd degree connections and 1.6 million 3rd degree connections.
Here is the problem: LinkedIn provides no efficient way to slice and dice the information into a meaningful format. So we’re all building large networks with millions of people in them but we have no easy way to sort through them.
For example: The number of employees an employer has can define whether or not the company is a good prospect for me. Ideally they have between 20 and 50 employees. LinkedIn gives you the option of indicating the number of employees your company has when you set up your profile. What they don’t provide is a way to search based on this.
The only way that I have found to identify who in my network has between 20 and 50 employees is to visit each profile. Even if I just look at 1st and 2nd degree contacts that’s over 15,000 profiles I would have to review. I’ve tried to use keywords in the search form to do this but the results only pull 2 to 3 responses even though I have viewed at least 100 people in my network listing this number of employees.
So think about the wealth of information that exists on the profile pages of everyone in your network. Information that could help you better connect, better grow your business, and find more useful ways to use LinkedIn. It’s just sitting out there just out of reach. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to sift and sort through your entire network in a short time to find relevance?
Come on LinkedIn, go the distance. If you build it we will come. And so will they (many they’s).
