Is it worth using LinkedIn or Xing?

LinkedIn and Xing never mention the return business they deliver to members. Instead, they compete on how many members they have signed up. Interested to hear what people think ... Are they worth using? Are there any other online business networks people rate?

I've signed up to both of them. I have had a few interesting inquiries via Xing (I am a freelance Planner based in Germany) but none of them have actually materialised as jobs. I have also had some annoying pestering from people who "want me on their database" but don't really give much of an intelligible indication as to the nature of said database. Overall, I would say sign up, because you never know - but keep a very low profile and don't make it too easy for any Tom, Database or harry to get your details. 

 I wonder how useful these sites are. I did sign up to LinkedIn, but have never really engaged with it. I understand why people might want it if they are going to have anything as it might be seen as useful to use a social networking site that is compartmentalised and purely for work in a way that Facebook is not.

I've had the invites but resisted the temptation. I seem to get by fine with email and phone numbers. At the moment, signing up to one of these networks seems like an unecesscary compliction. Keeping up with texts, mobile phone calls, work email, personal email, Facebook, is a challenging enough for me without more accounts to be logging into everyday.

I've been invited to join LinkedIn but never have... Seems like a good idea but I know I wouldn't get into it enough.

I don't use Xing but am signed up to LinkedIn.

One of its biggest selling points is that when you change the company you work for, you don't lose all of your contacts. All you need to do is change your registered email address and you are still able to stay in contact with everyone that you did before.

That's not to say it's impossible to stay in touch when you change company without LinkedIn, of course its possible. But what LinkedIn does is make it that much easier to stay in touch with that many more people. In a world where success is very much based upon 'who you know', I'd say when used effectively, LinkedIn can prove to be a very powerful tool.

As an executive search consultant I use Linkedin all the time and pay a monthly subscription for the privilege.  I only contact individuals who flag that they are interested in career opportunties, but have filled 3 senior searches in the last 3 months with candidates from Linkedin.

I am not sure if the founders intended it to be used as an open recruitment database, but I find it invaluable - it is particularly useful for searches in North America where, as far as I can tell, everyone uses it.

If you are job hunting then I would suggest being on there as you never know what might come through - other than that I'm not entirely sure what benefit can be derived from it.  I have found that people are far more happy to give a peer to peer recommendation to me on linkedin than you might think, despite a fairly tenous link with me - perhaps because the brand of linkedin has developed a good sense of trust around it.  This could also be very useful for proactive direct job hunting - rather than just the 'middle man' stuff that I do.

As a new business tool LinkedIn is #1; I use it daily. I've found Xing more useful for collaboration (finding freelancers or partners in different countries, for example).

I've won new business directly through both platforms, plus I'm finding that new clients will also check your profile on LinkedIn, so it's a great place to have a presence and links to your website, portfolio, etc.

Hope that helps,

David Regler
New Business Agency

I am a member of both and I find LinkedIn to be very useful in terms of content and connections.  Joining some of the groups helps in getting clients since you are able to market your website as well as find new ideas and business contacts.

Xing is ok but I dont see it as interactive as LinkedIn

I've signed up to both. Linked in seems to be a little more 'busy' than Xing, but I have connected to some useful people on both. So far, none have resulted in actual business, but I still think it's worth having a profile on them. Let's face it, it doesnt hurt.

Gemma Went
www.redcubemarketing.com

I am on Linked In (not heard of Xing) but I haven't had anything useful come of it... mainly cause I do not pimp my services out.... I get the rare contact from someone trying to sell to me which is more of an annoyance to me.

 I've changed my mind regards LinkedIn. I am finding it more and more useful. It is a good way of connecting with people in a grown-up business environment.