Social networking is requiring me to say "no" more than I prefer. At the start, I was happy to add anyone who would have me. Kind of like dating in Junior High. With the current business climate, I have been getting requests from a large number of strangers.
I'm saying "no" to the guy from Utah who is looking for a "new calling" and wants to be a part of my network. No to a guy with a vaguely familiar name who, from what I can tell, is doing nothing but sending invitation requests to the world. No to the intern with the perky picture who wants a few minutes of my time to demonstrate a knife set that she is going to be selling as a summer job. Nothing about what I am interested in, like Lean HR, employee engagement or talent acquisition.
I am a nice guy. Let me make it clear - I am accepting initiations from interesting people in my world, people that I can help in a reasonable way or people that are a part of my life.
I am not a cranky isolationist, by nature. In the work I do with hiring processes, applicant tracking and assessment work, I help organizations screen out applicants that are not a fit for their culture, and screen in those who will probably be high performers. My clients say that they are having the same problem with their hiring - an overwhelming volume of applicants that do not care about the job description, only that they get in.
So, what have I learned? Apply your rules of friendship to your in-box - accept those that will benefit from friendship, and will be of benefit to you. For the others, don't dilute your time and just say "no"
I'm saying "no" to the guy from Utah who is looking for a "new calling" and wants to be a part of my network. No to a guy with a vaguely familiar name who, from what I can tell, is doing nothing but sending invitation requests to the world. No to the intern with the perky picture who wants a few minutes of my time to demonstrate a knife set that she is going to be selling as a summer job. Nothing about what I am interested in, like Lean HR, employee engagement or talent acquisition.
I am a nice guy. Let me make it clear - I am accepting initiations from interesting people in my world, people that I can help in a reasonable way or people that are a part of my life.
I am not a cranky isolationist, by nature. In the work I do with hiring processes, applicant tracking and assessment work, I help organizations screen out applicants that are not a fit for their culture, and screen in those who will probably be high performers. My clients say that they are having the same problem with their hiring - an overwhelming volume of applicants that do not care about the job description, only that they get in.
So, what have I learned? Apply your rules of friendship to your in-box - accept those that will benefit from friendship, and will be of benefit to you. For the others, don't dilute your time and just say "no"
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