Say it ain't so! LinkedIn goes MySpace-esque?
LI's blog has announced that they will enable photo's to be added to one's profile. I appreciate that they will allow me to chose not to see them in my search returns - but really... We've moved from seeing photos on candidate resumes (shudder) to inclusion of URL/links to candidate's homepages (shiver)... aren't we beyond this? I find that the reason this feature is being added is because people will sometimes recognize the picture faster/better than the name? Really? Then how well do I know the person to begin with?
Enough of my thoughts - I think this is a bad move. What is your thoughts? Do you really need this feature from a business, or recruiting standpoing?
Blog text follows (a la Adam Nash, product management):
Adding a profile photo is one of the most commonly requested features for the LinkedIn profile, primarily because many people (like me) tend to recognize their colleagues and classmates more reliably by face than by name. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and with this feature we hope to make it easier for people to form richer professional connections online.
Answers (30)
Herman L
A Financial and Operational leader. I focus people on growth, performance and profit. I make companies make money.
I think it's a useful element. Photos do make a difference in recognition and memory. I'm not a recruiter, so that's not a big issue in my mind. But I do have links with people I've only dealt with on the phone or in email. It's nice to have a face to go with the name.
Thomas J
... helps you create change. He is an authority on leadership credibility for engagement, high performance, and change.
I actually like the idea. It doesn't remotely take LI to the geography of Facebook or MySpace. It does speak to the very human need to connect visually as well as verbally with people. No one would be obligated to post a photograph, but for those of us who choose to do so, communication will flow on yet another level.
Links:
William, your use of LinkedIn may revolve around recruiting and the use of LinkedIn as an online, living resume, but that's only one use case for the site.
I would argue that LinkedIn is doing a good thing here, as I have a tendency to use LinkedIn as a people search platform, for doing research and diligence before interacting with someone. And lately, I've been using Facebook to fill this role more and more. If LinkedIn wants to ensure that more of their user base doesn't follow me off the site to address this need, photos on profiles is one step to do that.
And comparing LinkedIn to MySpace is a little alarmist, don't you think? However, I would argue that as a recruiter, you could learn a lot about someone as a candidate from their MySpace page--organization, diligence, attention to detail, and writing ability all are important professional skill sets, no?
It's just the trend of personalization of the web. I use an avatar or weeme anyway. The only drawback is the potential for bias if recruiters or companies are sourcing on LinkedIn.
Douglas "Dougie" S
Sr. Systems Architect - OSS at Savvis
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I think its a cool idea.
I use Linkedin as a way to keep in touch with contacts. Not exclusively as a recruiting tool as some do.
The pics will help me recognize some of my old time contacts that I haven't seen in a long time.
Dave F
Specialist in public/private partnerships and public funds management. Connect with me at linkedin@davefarley.com
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I think it's fine. This is more of a professional tool. I don't see the addition of photos turning LI into a MySpace/Girls (or Guys) Gone Wild venue.
Alisa K
Interim Executive Director/ Vice President of Operations at Jewish Federation Las Vegas
William,
I agree with you. Adding photos underminds the focus of LinkedIn which is to focus on skill sets. Regardless if I am recruiting for a new job at my agency or if I am just looking for an expert on a subject, neither need me to choose the prettier person. Both require me to make a good selection based on skill sets.
I think this is a disapointment - the USA Today article I read referenced a staff person at LinkedIn saying they felt pressure to do this because it is the most requested. Leadership in this case would be staying true to the core qualities of this site and not going with peer pressure that isn't true to their core business.
The fact of the matter is this is un-necessary and truely won't add value to me. If I need to see a picture of one of my contacts, then my relationship should be strong enough that I can ask them directly for one. That's the point of LinkedIn.
Wallace J
Multimedia Producer, Mind Taffy Design; Graphics Design, VR and i3D programming for Acrobat 3D PDF
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Hey WIlliam...
Looking forward to that Coffee soon... ;) Like Judy, I may use it for my 3D animated GIF MindTaffy logo... It may be also useful for company logos, like the Groups currently have. Have a great weekend. Walls.
Links:
Keith P
Business Analyst at Target & Social Business Renegade
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I think it is a great idea. This definately helps when you need to meet with someone you are trying to establish a professional relationship with.
One suggestion:
Get a professional photo done of yourself! It does project a better brand identity for yourself. That photo can be used in many things. Now that I know they are introducing this feature I am going to make my reservation to get my photos taken.
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i hate this feature,
i have already written about it in my blog.
and in now ways linkedin should be compared with myspace or facebook. they are for social networking and linkedin is for professional networking.
till linkedin is maintaining this status, is the time till which it is moving ahead.
the movement it started thingking about competting with facebook, myspace or any other social networking site it will lose its key feature and key users too.
well that was my personal opinion.
everybody has his / her own opinion
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Karl G
CTO/Owner Intelligent Fusion, Enterprise Architect, Business Strategist, PhD
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I think it's great - and about time. As I said in another post, I've been playing around with Facebook's technical forums and the photos really humanize the whole process. I thought it was a bit cheezy at first, but it's actually a really nice feature.
Daniel J
District Leader at Primerica Financial Services and Owner, David Gordon Productions
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I'm not crazy about the idea, but I'm not alarmed by it either. As long as I have the option to turn it on or off, I'm okay with it, and it can be useful.
For example, I recently came across the name of someone I knew about 10 years ago but lost touch with. But I couldn't be sure it was the same person, because she's in a different line of work now and didn't list her past position. I sent her an invitation anyway with a note "Are you the same person as...?" Clearly, if I could have seen her photo, I would have known immediately.
So on balance, I don't think this move is on the slipper slope towards becoming another Facebook. This is more about the way the community here uses the tools, not the tools themselves.
Matthew B
Managing Partner, HireSpeed, Inc.
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I really think this is a step in the wrong direction, and it makes me think twice about my subscription. I think that Facebook, and MySpace are great for the social interaction, but LI is primarily focused on business relationships, and really has no need to clutter it up with photos. Just my $0.02.
I don't believe photos are necessary on a professional networking site. It's supposed to be a site that enables objectivity. Photos may compromise that objectivity, offering additional consideration to those who are attractively blessed. I would prefer to consider people on their work ethic and merits, rather than eye appeal.
There seems to be two camps in response to this question (is it really a question?).
Recruiters think -- no pictures
Non-Recruiters think -- so what
It really is up to the individual to decide what LI is about for them. The picture can be good or bad depending on the circumstance under which the user is using LI at that time. The bigger issue is what criteria people use to link to another LI user. I only link to people I have/have had a relationship with - I basically know everyone with which I am connected. There are many on LI that will connect with anyone, that IMO is a more serious breach of trust than pictures.
I agree with you, William. I think LI is becoming known as a "recruiting" site, but the real value to ME is to use it to manage and extend my network. I want to KNOW those who are directly connected to me. I know "openlink" has its adherents, but I want the reputation of referring people I actually can vouch for...someone I'm willing to pick up the phone and introduce to another person in my network. I constantly recommend LI as a business tool. We don't need pictures...
I have read a number of responses to the issue around having photos on LinkedIn. In essence, this is a professional networking site, but the trend is to now put photos on to CV's, and I also agree that it makes recognising and confirming that your friends are who they say they are a little easier. I would not be averse to each profile being alowed one photograph a la passport photo, but not albums to include pets, loved ones or favourite movie stars!
I guess it makes sense if it's the most requested additional feature.
I reckon not many people have been sending in lists of things that they don't want added to LinkedIn. Maybe it's worth while to do that to prevent LI from becoming MySpace-esque.
Why would recruiters in particular be against it? It seems to me that networking as a system is designed to reward our most narcissistic impulses.
I am fine with having the profile photo as an option. I don't quite understand why people are complaining about LI adding in this feature. Here's an idea, If you don't like the feature, don't upload a picture!
Links:
Some people are just more visual than others. This group of people will benefit from the feature and I have no problem with that.
Personally, I will not use photo on LinkedIn but I use it on social site Facebook
Fred B
Senior Executive, CPA [LION 6,000+] [Contact: FredBeisser at gmail.com] MyLink500.com TopLinked.com LION500.com
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I am for adding the photo as an option to LI users.
Xing has been doing that since its inception. Of course Xing originated in Hamburg, Germany where it has been customary for decades to provide a headshot in resumes and CVs submitted with job applications.
Go for it.
William J
Sr. Strategic Account Executive at The RightThing, Inc.
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I think it is a fine idea. You don't have to post your picture if you do not want to. For that matter you can post a drawing or your baby picture! It is not a necessary feature but I do not think it will hurt. Now from a recruiting standpoint there may be some issues. You are going to see the candidate anyway when you bring them in for an interview. There are a number of companies that are screening candidates now using web cams to record their answers to pre-interview and pre-screening questions. It seems inevitable to me.
Clarification added September 27, 2007:
And I have changed my mind after discussing this with several other people. At first I was curious to see what everyone else looked like but I now think there will be too large of a price to pay for that curiosity.
From a recruiting standpoint people may be too quick to judge a person on appearances whether it be positive or negative.
With an in person interview you are at least forced to get to know a person a little bit better if you are prone to making judgments on appearances alone. I think this would also apply to video interviews even though the hiring manager could shut the web cam feed off without raising any suspicion more easily than they could throw someone out of their office after a 2 second interview.
From a networking site standpoint it will promote the webcam people jamming up your inbox! If you want to know what someone looks like then ask them to send you their picture.
I agree.
Whether Linked-In offers it as an option is, of course, entirely up to them; but I do not plan to add any of my photos here. Unless you're applying for jobs in the entertainment industry (e.g. in front of the camera), I just don't think it's necessary to include a photo.
While we count on all hiring managers and recruiters to be completely objective, seeing a photo of someone has the potential to remove that objectivity... "His skills are great, but I don't know that a [black guy / white guy / Latino guy / Asian guy / middle-eastern guy / Jewish guy / guy in a wheelchair / fill in the blank] will fit in at this company."
Of course, this could also happen once a person actually goes to the interview -- but being ruled out before you even *get* the interview, just based on how you look, would really be a step backward.
William, let me throw another log on this fire: Continued success for LI will mean keeping a vigilant eye on its core purpose: making professional networking more efficient. One only has to look to the phenomenal success of CraigsList.org to see the value of bare boned simplicity and a relentless focus to core values.
For sure there’ll be plenty of missed judgment calls for LI before they reach cyber nirvana. I just don’t think adding a thumbnail picture is one of them.
Ed B
Business Development & Product Marketing Management
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Lots of good responses both pro and con. I'll add my voice to the 'con' column. Photos on LI would be a distraction in a professional sense. LI should be focused on skills first and appearance never. How will photos be policed? Will someone's avatar or a cartoon or a sunset photo be accepted?
Personally, I'd like to see more LI folks author a Facebook page (or one of the many other 'social networking' sites) to put personal info including pictures and link the two via LI's website link feature on each profile. The two together make a good overall combination while keeping distinctly separate functions.
My $2.00 ($0.02 + inflated cost of gas)
Lucian V
Online.
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Hi William.
That's how I see things here:
We, the LinkedIn-ers, accepted to be part of this network as it is. Things are changing and someday they could set up a podcasting option for each user. Do you think it is such a great pleasure to hear my voice? Don't think so!
What I emphasize here is that adding a photo is a free-will option. This option won't ruin the business-esque looks of the network. Won't bring any big deal as well, of course! Each of us will choose. In my Xing or Viadeo profile, you won't find any photo, but I don't mind admiring the others.
I am not here because I'm beautiful ( joke, of course), but because I'm simply networking.
Or, to quote somebody here, "No need for adding a photo to a CV/profile, ugly people need jobs too".
Hope we'll have the same quality time here, even after some of us will show up in a nice wedding cropped picture ...
Have fun,
Lucian Vinatoriu.
Its fine with me. I don't view it as being like Myspace or Facebook, because this is still a business site, but it is more becoming like Xing. Which is more social than LinkedIn, but with a huge business slant.
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I can understand the concern of many job seekers, afraid that a picture could influence decisions without anyone ever considering their skill set and experience. That being said, the first 2 seconds of any interview will do that anyway. I happen to be all for LinkedIn adding in picture capabilities. Not because I hope my business contacts upload a picture from their personal vacation, but because I am a face-recognizer, and seeing a visual helps me to keep people straight in my mind. Anyone with a contact list in the hundreds can surely appreciate this.
Kat S
Corporate Development / Market Strategy & Mapping / Product Strategy / Intellectual Properties / Consulting
I'm all for one professional photo - the type of photo you'd submit with a publication, or print at the back of a book you'd write. LI will have to approve the photos.
The photo will help identify those who are trying to connect on the system without any guesswork (for those of us with a long history of working with larger groups, this comes in very handy).
In response to the concern that recruiters might discriminate against someone because of their photo... I think if they want to discriminate, they can also do it during the interview process.
Also, any type of "networking" has a "social" aspect to it. To think that the two can be kept mutually exclusive in unrealistic.
I agree with others who support the feature.
