Facebook Set to Challenge LinkedIn for Professional Online Networking

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Thanks to Steve Rothberg at the CollegeRecruiter.com Blog for making me aware of this news. A recent article by Fortune reporter Lindsay Blakely shared the news that Facebook is working on a feature that will provide the ability to separate your work “friends” from your social ones:

This may not sound significant, but as Facebook’s appeal spreads beyond college students, professionals are joining the social networking site to keep in touch with colleagues and business contacts. Facebook, which already hosts networks for employees of companies from Apple to Zales, says the new feature “is in the works.”

If friends can be grouped according to whether they are social or professional contacts, and profiles tailored for each, Facebook could replace the need to maintain a separate account on LinkedInfor strictly business networking, according to some observers.

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Facebook and LinkedIn haven’t competed head-on because they both promised different value for their members. Facebook was for communicating with friends; LinkedIn was the place for making and keeping business contacts.

Personally, I would love to have all of my contacts in one place, and it would be nice for students and young professionals to no longer face the dilemma, “What do I do when my boss friends me?”
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What do you think? Will Facebook’s move threaten LinkedIn’s dominance in the professional online networking world? Would you rather have two separate online networking profiles? Share your thoughts with a comment!

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hi, i'm lindsey!

Lindsey is a globally recognized career and workplace expert and the leading voice on generational diversity. She has spoken for more than 300 audiences including Google, Goldman Sachs, Estee Lauder, Stanford and Wharton. Lindsey is the author of four career and workplace advice books, and her insights have appeared in media outlets including The TODAY Show, CNBC, NPR, the Harvard Business Review and the Wall Street Journal.

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Lindsey Pollak is a New York Times bestselling author, international speaker and often described as a “generational translator.” She is the author of four career and workplace advice books, including The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace. Her speaking audiences and consulting clients have included more than 300 top corporations, law firms and universities, and her insights have appeared in such media outlets as The TODAY Show, The Wall Street Journal and CNBC. Lindsey is a graduate of Yale University and is a proud member of Generation X. 

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