The
LinkedIn Effect
Whenever
a new social media platform emerges, its representation in existing media has a
profound impact on the development of its image and its subsequent
domestication into mainstream society. According to communications scholar
Nancy Baym, this interplay between new and existing media manifests itself predominantly
on two case-limiting levels. The first is social construction, where the
cultural climate during the development of the medium gives rise and helps
shape the emerging media platform. The second, polar opposite view is technological
determinism, which views emerging technology as “arising independently of
social contexts and then affecting them” (Baym 2010). In the Forbes
article “The LinkedIn Effect: Why Social Media is Now Mandatory for Success,”
Rick Smith supports a hybrid view for the medium. Smith argues that social
construction played a role in LinkedIn’s early development, and was followed by
technological determinism as the medium became domesticated and integrated. In
the article, Smith argues that it is important to consider both reflective
aspects of how society influenced media emergence and also productive aspects
of how media influenced society. He further argues that this hybrid model of
what he calls “The LinkedIn Effect” can be applied to other networks such as
Facebook and Twitter, explaining how those networks have ultimately “changed
nature of human interaction forever” (Smith 2014).
Smith first chronicles
the emergence and impacts of LinkedIn, providing a reflective view of the
medium which is focused mainly on social construction. LinkedIn was created out
of a need for professionals to gain the connections and impact demanded by a
fast-paced world. LinkedIn was launched in 2003, when Facebook was just a
shadow available at a few colleges and before the inception of Twitter. The
internet was recognized as a space where our ability to manage interpersonal
relationships could be expanded, and this first occurred in a professional
setting. This parallels the emergence of the internet itself, where DARPA initially
intended it to be for government and scientific use before it was expanded to
recreational outlets. Although many networks exist for connecting on the web, the
establishment of LinkedIn as a private, professional network contrasts the
later explosion of more public, recreational networks (specifically Facebook).
Smith’s article describes a reflective aspect of LinkedIn, which deals with how
the professional network developed in the first place from this need to have a
place exclusively for professional connections. LinkedIn has filled this niche,
allowing it to “increase our exposure to ideas and opportunities,” which is
essential to success in the modern workforce, leading to more deterministic discourse
(Smith 2014).
In addition to
the social construction aspects leading to the emergence of LinkedIn, Smith
also highlights the deterministic aspects of how it has become mainstream or
even mandatory for success. The outburst of social technologies such as
LinkedIn has allowed us to expand our network of connections, which in turn
“dramatically increases the flow of knowledge and opportunity available to each
of us” (Smith 2014). Today,
it is frequently expected of young professionals to have LinkedIn profiles with
connections in order to gain recognition in the workforce. Technological
determinism deals with how integrated and essential LinkedIn has become as a
result of its domestication (or what Harvard professor Jonathan Zittrain refers
to as “appliancization”). One can create a sort of digital-resume with all of
their work experiences, certifications, volunteer activities, awards, hobbies,
coursework, and connections in one place. It is even possible to upload
documents and samples of one’s work, along with images. Employers can check LinkedIn
pages of prospective employees in addition (or even in lieu of) paper resumes.
It is even possible to apply for certain jobs by connecting the application to
LinkedIn and having it be populated automatically with all of the user’s
information. In this way, LinkedIn has generated “new meanings for technologies
[and] new uses for technologies” by becoming a digital CV (Baym 2010).
LinkedIn is a
great example of a social media technology which stemmed root from a highly
encouraging cultural climate and through the course of its domestication
altered and enhanced the way networking is done in the workforce. Smith refers
to this process of social construction followed by technological determinism
leading to full domestication as “the LinkedIn effect.” Social media is often
viewed as a fun pastime which can be entertaining and even informative on
occasion. However, for professionals social networking “is no longer an optional
activity – long-term career success is now dependent upon it” as a result of
“the LinkedIn effect” (Smith 2014).
References
Baym, N. K. 2010. Making New Media Make Sense. In Personal Connections in the Digital Age, 22-49.
Smith, R. (2014) The LinkedIn Effect: Why Social Media Is Now Mandatory for Success. http://www.forbes.com/sites/ricksmith/2014/10/20/the-linkedin-effect-why-social-media-is-now-mandatory-for-success/#61efd3a31c1b
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