LinkedIN to LinkedOUT



I started networking on LinkedIn in 2007 when not many in India had even heard of LinkedIn. People like me started spreading the word about Linkedin, educating people about the beauty of this professional network. Linkedin made me a global citizen , having connected with people across geographies, countries, races, genders , age groups. I started investing time in connecting with people as I saw value in it.

However the trouble started when I reached 28,000 connections. I received a message from Linkedin that you can not have over 30000 connections in your network. On asking why, answer I got was shocking - "Because Linkedin has a policy that you can not have over 30K people in your network". I decided to follow up on the ideology behind it & the answer I got was out of the world - "LinkedIn thinks that one can not know more than 30k people in this world".
I understand that every org has policies but again there has to be some logic behind it?? How can someone stop me from networking over 30k professionals where the size of LinkedIn's network is 500 million? I don't see any rationale here.

I am nearing 30K as  I crossed 29K connections. I have over 6000 pending & hence wanted to make sure that I select the right ones. Linkedin has various filters through which you can filter your connections based on exp/ company etc. As a shocker I realized that none of the filters are working.  On reaching out to @linkedinHelp, here is what I got-


Don't you think, the filters will be of best use when you want to be selective about accepting connections? What's the logic of removing filters when you near 30k??

I have a strong feeling that Linkedin will make you feel you are Linked-Out than Linked-In once you near the limit of 30K.

Microsoft paid $26.2 billion to buy LinkedIn, I am really thinking that Linkedin becomes more liberal in terms of thoughts around the size of the connections than  dragging everyone to the stone age. Basic things like filters are in non-working condition. I don't see any policy around filters , when you fall between 29K & 30K connections. Someone needs to empathize with the loyal customers & address these issues.

Dear Microsoft, hope one day you will make Linkedin great again.

Best,
Jashan

(Note- All the above views are personal)


Comments

  1. SarangFebruary 12, 2018 at 2:07 AM

    You should write this as a blog on LinkedIn itself :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vipul AgarwalFebruary 13, 2018 at 8:24 AM

      There has been a lot of angst against Linkedin's policy of restricting connects to 30K. I too reached this a couple of years ago and am having a terrible time in re-organizing. Earlier they wouldnt allow me to download the data which they are now allowing. One of the linkedin reps who came to sell their services a few years ago did say (as a personal note) that I don't need to buy because I am heavily connected. :) Obviously, they feel threatened by the heavy connectors in the system and want to make their experience as painful as possible.

      Delete
  2. JashanFebruary 14, 2018 at 11:44 PM

    Good one Vipul.
    Sarang- I definitely will

    ReplyDelete

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