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LinkedIn: Generation Y Just Isn’t That Into You

July 8, 2010 By 41 Comments

Ages of users on various social networking sites

Forget Twitter. Generation Y isn’t into LinkedIn. More than any other social networking site in this list, the above graphic shows that young people ages 0-24 really aren’t into the business networking site, LinkedIn. Wait…read that again. Business networking site, LinkedIn. That’s probably why GenY and GenZ are not into the site. Unless they are making major initiatives into starting their career early, the next generation has no reason to use LinkedIn. Generation Y, however, should begin considering it. In this job market, especially, it is growing more apparent that finding a job will not be about what you know or who you know but who knows YOU. If you cannot be searched, then you are not relevant. If you’re not relevant, you’re not worth hiring.


There has been much said in the past year about Generation Y and its misuse of social media networking sites. Twitter is getting the brunt of this energy as the latest thing to explode since Facebook. Marketers and critics argue that our generation is supposed to inherently love social media because it allows us to connect with our friends. Well, some of us still like our face to face interactions and value those connections more than the potential to amass fake friends and followers. Status updates from people we don’t care about mean little to nothing, serving to overpopulate a stream where we would rather have only a few.


Did that sound like a typical GenY’er? Good. Now here’s the position of a GenY’er who has grown up and understands the value in social networking.

LinkedIn may be a professional site that seems serious at all times but business is serious. There are times to play and times to work. A profile on LinkedIn will ensure that people in your industry are noticing you as being a thought leader. Far too often we’re being labeled as an entitled generation that needs compliments every hour and someone to hold our hand through life to make it. On LinkedIn you have a unique opportunity to prove that you can take the initiative to start groups, run them successfully, help others by answering their questions, and engage with others professionally.


Beat the GenY stereotypes. Use LinkedIn to help you get a job

  • GenY is entitled and thinks the world owes them something

    • Show people that you want to give and not just get by answering their questions

  • GenY is not capable of critical thinking

    • Show that you can examine both sides of a statement and come to your own conclusions

  • GenY is lazy

    • Do you know how much work it takes to manage building your own brand?

Are you part of Generation Y and a LinkedIn user? What have been the benefits for you? Are you a GenX or Boomer and noticed a GenY’er making great strides?

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Comments

  1. Suzanne Vara says:
    July 8, 2010 at 7:56 PM

    Chanelle

    Way to rally the troops! LinkedIn is such a valuable tool that clearly Gen Y’ers do not think about using – until they are graduating college and need a job. It is about connecting and being in the right place at the right time. A lot of business is done on LinkedIn. Yes it is a business networking site as we do not want to hear about your beer filled weekend but as a younger person you do have a lot to offer.

    The more people that you know the more chances you have to get a job. HR managers are getting inundated with resumes from people and what better way than to stand out above the crowd than with a powerful profile in LinkedIn? One of the best parts of LinkedIn is that it is where self promotion is expected. Your summary is top of the line by the way.

    I look at it this way, there is opportunity on LinkedIn and that is too hard to pass up.

    Great post Chanelle.

    @SuzanneVara

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    • Chanelle Schneider says:
      July 8, 2010 at 8:07 PM

      Thank you, Suzanne! I do believe that we GenY’ers who understand the value of social networking need to stand up for ourselves and show that we exist. There are far too many complaints about what GenY doesn’t do well, so let’s take some time to show that we can do it well. What better place to do that than on LinkedIn, which is designed for that purpose? Twitter is for engagement and to show all aspects of your personality. LinkedIn is the business side strictly. I say we should use that platform for its purpose.

      I appreciate you taking a look at my summary!

      Reply
  2. Sue Anne Reed says:
    July 10, 2010 at 6:54 PM

    One of the most important ways I’ve used LinkedIn is a a follow-up to meeting someone in person (either via an interview, networking event or other event). Even without their email address, if you’ve paid attention when meeting them, it’s easy to connect with someone on LinkedIn. And, don’t just use the generic “I’d like to connect with you on LinkedIn” … share with how you meet them. “I met you at a tweetup last night, and I’d like to connect with you on LinkedIn.” They’ll appreciate it.
    Sue Anne Reed recently posted..The importance of blog design – blogchat recap 06-13-10My ComLuv Profile

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  3. Ryan Healy says:
    July 11, 2010 at 6:00 PM

    Really interesting post, these are great statistics! Many of the things you are describing are why we decided to start Brazen Careerist. There are amazing values in online professional networking, and it’s tough to get young people to understand the value. I think one of the issues is that Linkedin can be a bit daunting to users who are more familiar with the social circles they run in on a site like Facebook. Linkedin feels a bit cold and very big. One of the things we believe in at Brazen is to show people the conversations that are going on the second they join the site. When you can see that people are talking about smart things, you feel a little more comfortable jumping into a conversation, as opposed to making a formal request for an introduction.

    I think there is value in Gen Y joining Linkedin to find business contacts they are already familiar with and to keep a list of contacts for the future. I also highly suggest joining Brazen and jumping in some intelligent conversations with some really smart people!

    Ryan

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    • Chanelle Schneider says:
      July 11, 2010 at 8:24 PM

      Ryan – Thank you for your comment! I’m a fan of Brazen Careerist, as well; and, you make an excellent argument for its use. It is my personal mission to get Generation Y and the ones coming to harness the power of social networking for professional fun and not just for fun. If we can understand the logic behind personal branding at a young age, then issues of inability to find jobs, lack of appreciation for public/private education, inequality in the social sphere, etc…will decline.

      Reply

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