The real reason(s) I closed my LinkedIn account.

People asked me why I left LinkedIn yesterday, so I thought I’d give a few reasons beyond “LinkedIn’s CEO dared me to“.

1. I want to work with awesome people. How do I know they’re awesome? I’ve spent time sharing stuff with them & commenting on their stuff. People don’t get to know each other from a resume database.

2. LinkedIn is a great resource…for HR departments. I don’t want to work for an HR department.

3. Anyone who could really collaborate with me will find me organically because we share the same interests. If they don’t, I’m not publishing enough.

@ianmcc @ericaglasier I think of it as the "set-it-and-forget-it" network, threw my info up there for any potential employers searching

July 20, 2011 2:18 pm via Twitter for MacReplyRetweetFavorite

@dvandewalle

Dean Van De Walle

4. I’m not afraid. LinkedIn’s premise has always been a vague fear: fear that if you don’t participate, you’ll be overlooked for That Next Awesome Career Move. Have you done a lot of career movement as a result of LinkedIn so far?

@EricaGlasier can't hurt to leave it up no? I have stuff auto updating there. But yeah i am with you, less value than other networks.

July 20, 2011 2:06 pm via Twitter for MacReplyRetweetFavorite

@ianmcc

Ian McCausland

5. Ignoring a social presence doesn’t work for me. It needs maintenance, and Jeff Weiner’s right, I don’t have time for endless profiles. At the very least, one day I’ll lose my login & never be able to change a photo I suddenly deem mortifying. My personal brand fluctuates.

6. The groups I subscribed to (see, I did try to participate) didn’t give me better news, conversation or insight than I was able to get on Twitter. I could have invested the time to find groups that were a better fit—but no, wait, I couldn’t have invested the time.

7. I got spam (indeed, if you define spam as “stuff I’m not interested in”, a whole lot of the communication with LinkedIn is spam). I’m sure I could have managed my notifications, but you need email prompts to interact with this network (because so little dynamic interaction is built in to the system).

8. I got insistent connection invites from people I don’t know—connection with whom being the way LinkedIn suggests you’ll get the most value from its service. Not that I think privacy exists, but when did we get all comfy with total strangers knowing where and when we worked and went to school?

9. If I was desperately looking for a job (the purpose of the network, right?) I would bet my last EI cheque that the connection wouldn’t come from ramped up LinkedIn presence.

10. Social media overload. I need to put my attention where I’m having fun. I don’t appreciate the pressure LinkedIn represents—you know, the opposite of fun.

11. Linked In takes more than it gives. I just don’t need it.