Perry

Hewitt

Month: May 2013

  • LinkedIn turns 10

    So, LinkedIn is turning 10. The Next Web ran this comprehensive recap of the pivotal moments in its evolution — complete with jazzy infographic and a fun look back at its clunky 2003 web design.

    LinkedIn’s main differentiator was being among the first user-generated content networks focused on expertise. As an early adopter (user 6818 — you can find your own member number embedded in your LinkedIn profile URL after “id=”), I pulled together some thoughts on what I’ve observed as milestones contributing to its success.

    1. Recognizing that they are a data company, and making some high-profile data scientist hires like Daniel Tunkelang — and enabling them to attract strong teams.
    2. Embracing mobile — a little late to the game, but a snazzy, much talked about tablet launch in 2012 and frequent updates since.
    3. Continuously improving the social aspects for average users sharing content — image integration that’s easy on the eyes, a longer character count than Twitter, a Like feature just like that other social network.
    4. Cracking the code for content original to LinkedIn. Other companies, like Facebook and Tumblr have shuttered similar efforts (here’s a good piece from RWW). While I’d argue that they have a natural advantage over Facebook and Tumblr in terms of shared audience purpose, they get credit for bringing in a range of thought leaders who make the site compelling and who become champions for the platform.
    5. Moving from text heavy resumes only to portfolio display opportunities — presumably the success of Bēhance and others has prompted LinkedIn to cast a wider net by supporting more visual experiences.
    6. LinkedIn email offerRolling out new applications like a new contact importing/ management service (see email offer at right — perhaps more compelling if the data pulls someone not in the office next to mine) that try to make LinkedIn the default drive for your connections.

    While not a specific feature, I’d argue that LinkedIn’s ultimate killer app was shifting the social norm around job hunting. Back in the day, leaving a copy of your resume on the printer meant only one thing — you weren’t intending to stick around your current role very long. Now keeping your LinkedIn profile up-to-date is more a sign of career attention than looming transition. And arguably, in some fields today the bias is in precisely the opposite direction: people who don’t update their LinkedIn profiles are less likely to be actively engaged in their own career development — which as Tom Friedman reminded us last week in his bleak 401(K) world column, is a dangerous place to be.

  • College decision day

    stick figure thinkingIt’s May 1 — international workers’ day in many parts of the world — but for some anxious teens here in the U.S. it’s the day to decide where to go to college. And everyone, it seems, from family to college counselors to teachers to friends is eager to help them make the right decision. Even the boldface font of the New York Times blog on admissions sends a message: The Choice is a big deal, and you’d better make the right one.

    Of course, there are better and worse choices. Students with a well-defined passion for Aramaic or a unique flavor of epidemiology will need to find the right scholars and research opportunities for their intellectual pursuits. And funding is an important factor to consider for nearly everyone (here are some harrowing charts on the student borrowing bubble).

    But there are many students with general liberal arts interests who are seeking one definitive, correct answer: an answer that will lead to the right Sliding Doors style sequence of events. For these students, there are a frustrating number of good choices. A proliferation of PhDs means there are terrific faculty across the country (and of course, around the globe). The internet opens up access to library and museum materials previously segregated by geography and institution. And the precipitous rise of MOOCs means that anyone so inclined can expand their knowledge for no or relatively low cost.

    This year, I’ve spoken to a number of students in the throes of the decision. Some are weighing two-year community college to state options; some are choosing among Ivies; most fall somewhere in between in terms of selective options. There are in every case tradeoffs, but no bad options — but the anxiety-provoking paradox of choice is in full effect for these teens.

    When pressed for the right choice, I tell them that the best decision that they can make is to bet on themselves. Study hard. Challenge yourself. Get some quantitative skills. Make the most of wherever you go. The people who are struggling with their careers in their 20s and 30s don’t break down neatly along college selectivity lines or Fiske Guide entries. The common element is people who didn’t invest in the knowledge, skills, networks, or adaptive learning approach for today’s market ( this Tom Friedman column captures the shift precisely). And while there are better and worse college fits, there are remarkable number of excellent institutions where you can find all of the above.

    So, congratulations to the Class of 2017. Whatever box you checked today —  if you’ve committed yourself to learning, you’ve made the right choice.