LinkedIn CEO claims not-working is crucial

SOCIAL NETWORKING is not simply a fad according to LinkedIn CEO, Reid Hoffman, who discussed the proliferation of not-working amongst professionals at CeBit this morning.

Hoffman discussed the veritable "explosion of social networks" over the past three years and stressed the importance of differentiation between social and professional services. From what we could gather, the only real difference is that LinkedIn has actually figured out how to make money from its rich, corporate users, whilst Facebook is still poking about trying to think of ways to get moody teens to part with their pocket money.

"Professional networks can offer opportunities," said Hoffman, who reckoned uploading a fancy, self-lauding CV to an online service was the best way of "keeping pace with innovation" and remaining "competive as a professional". Indeed, Hoffman continued, it was "essential to how you operate as a professional."

Funny, we always assumed actual 'work' was the way to success in the corporate jungle, but obviously forming a virtual connection with your boss' secretary and a recommendation from the cafeteria lady is more indicative of one's performance nowadays.

Hoffman reckoned there was plenty of money to be made from combining professional social networks with software as a service, something Microsoft, Cisco and IBM have known for a while.

Asked where he thought social networking might be headed within the next decade, Hoffman laughed and said, "No one knows anything about the internet in 10 years, you're lucky if you know two... or even the next six months."

He added mobile social not-working was still just in its early days, as was the video resume trend, but that both were important and would get "richer".

We're sure LinkedIn will find a way to get "richer" from it, anyway! µ