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Sat Dec 17, 2011 at 01:01 AM by Dennis Nicholas As the recession continues, many corporate executives—hold by the employment jitters—are stepping up to join social networks in a jostle to build their social wealth. Popular sites such as our newly launched uRecommendMe and LinkedIn are on the rise: just a year ago, LinkedIn had little trademark profile and was regarded mostly as a platform for corporate executives trolling for official contacts as they plan their next career shift. A huge social platform such as Facebook, by distinction, has enormously attracted candidates seeking a convincing site for exciting social networking. Presently, LinkedIn’s annual growth is up almost 200% in the US and it now commands above 35 million profiles— most of whom were previously working within the heavy-hit financial sector. LinkedIn is just one of the several sites to which depression-struck executives are going to: Xing (located in Germany) which has about 7 million members along with special Lehman Brothers graduates division, and another UK based, Meet the Boss – limits membership to C-level financial candidates, is also boasting escalating membership levels. This growing trend of Web-based social networking is changing the nature of business networking, through deep implications in the direction business individuals manage their professions. Nevertheless it also promises profound transformation for social networking itself. As scores of people embossed into online social networks, the distinction between business and social networking is becoming more and more indistinct. Then the question remains: whether the ethics and codes of conduct precise to the practical world will eventually clash with real-world moral values and norms. For instance, Facebook, with still the perception of a “friend” is openly entrenched in the interface, and is increasingly muddled with marketing personnel, self-promoters and professional artists. What ensues as this drift intensifies and those employing Facebook solely for career networking raid? Sure, powerful economic reasons could be behind the trend. As Nan Lin a sociologist and an author of Social Capital, illustrates in his book, “People engage in communication and networking in turn to generate profits.” Such gains are based upon influence, information, social credentials, and acknowledgment. The amassed social capital, temporarily, helps persons to increase competitive leads in the labor market because of restricted access to “resources” found on the social network sites. Yet, for most– it does get really irritating when a new “friend” goes ahead and contacts you almost instantly with an improper call for a favor. Usually, it’s more prudent to go into a social networking platform as a contributor, rather than a taker, and slowly build relationships according to shared favors. In general, Web-based social networking, including its support groups plus trusted access, is run by a society of sharing, and not selling. And can the crowds of gatecrashers really be seen as frien
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