In which we make connections...

While it's not designed for social networking the way LiveJournal or Facebook is, I really like the idea of LinkedIn. It's a professional networking site, where you can connect with colleages, former co-workers, prospective employers, etc. 

It's a bit awkward, mostly to keep some control over whether folks really do have a legitimate connection to other folks or not (to keep it from turning into MySpace, I assume.)

One of the ways you can use it to connect with folks you know or would like to know on there is to ask for introductions from people who already have connected with them. This is a really neat tool, and I love the pseudo-formality of it. Every time I ask someone there for an introduction, I pretend I'm doing it in a really snooty accent...

"I say, old chum, I've an inkling that I might like to meet that lad over there who's apparently the chair of marketing for PSI... would you mind terribly making an introduction? I'd be most grateful."

Preferably with brandy snifters and overstuffed wing-back chairs. 

But enough about my inner monologue...

One of the other methods you can use to connect with folks there is to know their email address. This is great, if you only have one, but I use several, and am relatively sure that most folks who do a lot of their work online (like, I don't know, freelance writers, artists and developers) do as well. And, although I've used LinkedIn for quite some time, it wasn't until very recently that I figured out how to add more than one email address there (Thanks to Bo, who helped me discover the means of doing so was in the Accounts and Settings feature (up at the top right hand corner of the window) not through any part of the Profile page, which is where I was looking oh-so-dilligently.

So, for the sake of clarity, if you're involved in the gaming/publishing/writing/editing/etc industry professionally, feel free to add me on LinkedIn. My emails for the purpose of that site is: jess@jesshartley.com or jesskhartley@gmail.com.

Oh, another feature I really like about LinkedIn is the recommendations feature. You can ask for (or give unsolicited) recommendations to and from people you've worked with in the past. Not only is a great way to show prospective employers that you're thought highly of, but it is a really nice little ego boost as well. :)