Monday, October 29, 2007

Online networking opportunities and limitations

In this week's reading I see the opportunities and limitations associated with online networking. If someone is an entrepeneur and is looking for other people to start a business with or connect with, I think the gobignetwork provides a good opportunity to connect with someone to then have discussions with to see if there is a common interest in moving forward.

For someone who is just trying to use online networking like linkedin.com to find a traditional job, I see limitations. As noted in one article "How does one extract strength from such weak ties?", I see online networking as always being weaker than personal networking. Someone will always steer an employer towards a candidate that they know personally over one that they just know online. Actually, I prefer it this way....if we get to the point where online networking takes precedence over personal networking, I think there will be negative consequences.

3 comments:

Sarah said...

What do you think will be the negative consequences you eluded to?

Daniela Perez said...

It is true. You can start by meeting someone online, but then if you don't meet them personally the relationship will never be strong. How can you do something for someone you don't know in person? Just online....What if his profile is a lie, and what he says he is is not what's true?

I always liked meeting face to face it makes relationships stronger and more honest.

Abdul said...

In answer to Sarah's question, the negative consequences are that the person could misrperesent themselves and be dishonest at a new job and thus by helping the person through networking you would have been a contributor or an enabler to a problem.