Ponderings on a Tuesday

Ponderings on a Tuesday Ive been surfing social media streams all morning looking for ideas and creative thoughts to share and have come up with very little, OK, nothing. But while I was searching, these thoughts came to mind and Ill share those instead. Collecting LinkedIn Connections I am not sure why people want to connect with me on LinkedIn. Most never provide a reason to connect. They send the generic connect on LinkedIn invite which makes me mad (and is one of my top 10 LinkedIn pet peeves). Sometimes the message says something like, I saw your post or read your work and would like to connect which really isnt much better. Honestly, it would serve them better to subscribe to my blog via this link: Subscribe to Career Sherpa: Guide for Lifetime Career Navigation by Email Lots of job seekers do use a meaningful invitation to connect with me but less than one percent ever communicate directly with me on LinkedIn. PS: I leave my contacts open for all to see in an effort to help facilitate introductions, but alas, this doesnt happen either. When it does happen, it generally is a fail. I facilitate a job seeker group on LinkedIn and belong to many others and mostly see people sharing the same tired posts without a comment or question for discussion. Sharing an article on how to be a better interviewee is not a discussion. Groups, IMO, are for having conversations and learning something from others. Yes, sure, you can share an article of interest, but make a point, take a stand, ask a question or for others opinions. Please consider why and how you use LinkedIn. And realize that everyone has different opinions and purposes for using it as well. There are many LinkedIn conundrums. It is more than your rolodex of connections. More connections are not necessarily better, unless you make them mutually beneficial. Give to get! What Is It You Would Defend? There is a lot wrong with our society and our country. Does anyone else feel this way? Are there issues you are willing to take a stand on or rights you wish to defend? Gun control, mental illness, education, unions, term limits? OK, these are my issues. I could go on for hours about the injustice, wrongs and misuse of these things. At one point, I was going to start a tree hugging stand in to protect the trees in our city district from being chopped down unnecessarily, but I chickened out. Taking a stand takes energy. But what happens when we are all too busy to take a stance or get involved in things that are important? What will we lose? You may say there isnt much I can do or what difference can I make and that, I think, is the problem. We have become passive and as a result, un-involved. Ive posted a question on Facebook today which asks you to vote (or add) the one skill you want to develop or work on this year! (Heres the link)   It will be interesting to see what priorities are important to you and hopefully this will provide me fodder for future posts!