Troubleshooting LinkedIn for a Better Networking Experience

Happy Networkers photo from ShutterstockHow to tackle your three biggest LinkedIn problems.

LinkedIn is the primary social network for business networking and career advancement. However, while many professionals have signed up on the network, I constantly find users expressing many of the same issues with the network. What is the value of LinkedIn Endoresements and can I get rid of them? Is there a way to remove a contact and, if so, will he/she be alerted if I do so? My personal favorite—I set up multiple LinkedIn accounts; is there a way to get rid of the duplicates?

LinkedIn Endorsements

Unlike LinkedIn recommendations, well thought-out notes about the quality of a connection’s work, endorsements hold little value. They’re basically Facebook likes for LinkedIn. A connection can endorse you for anything in a matter of seconds and pranksters can even endorsement-bomb you for a funny area of expertise.

Endorsements were created to add to users’ credibility in lieu of much more difficult to attain (and more valuable) recommendations. However, the reality is that hiring managers, clients, and influencers do not consider endorsements in making key decisions. Endorsements just occupy space.

Opt Out of LinkedIn Endorsements

If you’d like to opt out of receiving endorsements and hide any endorsements you already have, LinkedIn has recently created an update that allows users to finally control endorsements. You also have the option to opt out of appearing in and seeing endorsement suggestions. Use this LinkedIn Help Center link to control your endorsements.

How to Remove a Contact

Perhaps you connected with a manager, peer or another contact who you no longer want to be linked to on LinkedIn. If you’re in sales, you may have found one of your connections using your visible contacts list to prospect your clients. Now, removing an undesired contact is simple.

Remove Duplicate LinkedIn Accounts

Audience members approach me with this issue more than any other. If you have multiple email addresses, and they are not already linked to a single LinkedIn account, there is a strong chance you may have set up duplicate accounts at some point. Use this link for easy step-by-step instructions.

Picture of Crystal Washington

Crystal Washington

Crystal Washington is a social media marketing strategist, speaker, co-founder of Socialtunities—a social media instruction brand that trains Gen Ys-Boomers on the strategic use of social media, and the author of The Social Media WHY: A Busy Professional’s Practical Guide to Using Social Media. She is hired by corporations and associations around the globe to provide keynotes, workshops, and webinars.

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