A number of alums have expressed an interest in having me set-up a AUS alumni group account with a business-oriented social-networking site that could be mainly used for professional networking. I’ve been considering using LinkedIn, which as of October 2007, had more than 15 million registered users, spanning 150 industries and more than 400 economic regions (as classified by the service).
With the help of Brian Greenberg, M.A. Whole Systems Design ’03, and director of data protection services for a large hedge fund, such an account now exists. To join the Antioch Alumni Group on LinkedIn please go to this link:
http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/37303/1A4BDF53F6E7
The goal of this group is to help alumni:
• Reach other members of the Antioch Alumni Group
• Accelerate careers/business through referrals from Antioch Alumni Group members
• View rich professional profiles from fellow Antioch Alumni Group members rather than just a name
The people in the list are called Connections which can then be used in a number of ways:
• A contact network is built up consisting of your direct connections, each of your connections’ connections (called 2nd degree connections) and also the connections of 2nd degree connections (called 3rd degree connections). This can be used, for example, to gain an introduction to someone you wish to know through a mutual, trusted contact.
• It can be used to find jobs, people and business opportunities recommended by anyone in your contact network.
• Employers can list jobs and search for potential candidates.
• Alumni seeking jobs can review the profile of hiring managers and discover which of their existing contacts can introduce them.
The “gated-access approach” (where contact with any professional requires either a pre-existing relationship, or the intervention of a contact of yours) is intended to build trust among the service’s users. Please note that LinkedIn participates in the EU Safe Harbor Privacy Framework.
Hope to see you in the group. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Warmly,
Eric Warn
Alumni Director
Antioch University Seattle
ewarn@antiochseattle.edu
