A few evenings ago, I taught a very brief LinkedIn refresher to a group of young (<30 yo) professionals. I was pleased to be asked back after doing one a few years ago. The audience was different this time (some aged out of the group) and they seemed even more receptive, as LinkedIn has permeated the business world.
This time I invited 2 young colleagues to attend. No reply to my offer. They did not register for the event.
So you don’t think I am sensitive about their silence, the point is these 2 never even acknowledged the invitation and they should know better.
That’s just not how things are done in the business world.
Ah, both could certainly benefit from my talk judging from their profiles. I think they operate within business etiquette (or lack thereof) differently than the majority of us.
Ok, I will step off that soap box for a moment.
The last time I spoke to the young pro group, at the conclusion of my talk–when I asked for questions–I received that most memorable comment, the title of this blog post.
Really. And I perceive it as a compliment.
Young or not, learning new skills or experienced, it is more imperative now than ever to “fix” an immediate image in the mind of the reader of you, via your LinkedIn profile, clearly articulating why you–why you do what you do–and how you do it.
I now “know my stuff” years better, with the undercurrent of LinkedIn being a more robust service over time, and I am personally enriched by the war stories, successes and anecdotes of the clients and connections I use to illustrate my points.
Between us, let’s leave the “old guy” part of the title alone…that won’t change.
You know your “stuff!”