Comments on: When Did Social Networking Become a Job?

By: Jared Goralnick

Jared Goralnick — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:21:18 +0000

Getting started with a social network is like getting a new computer–while at first it seems fun, you have to get it to a level where you can really benefit from it. It took work for me to happy with my various social networking sites (getting friends, editing my profile, figuring it out) and it was a heck of a time commitment. But after that, the maintenance and payoff has been easy.

With my blog there are expectations about how often I should write, but with social networking sites I could freeze all activity and the world would go on without much interest.
I think the only work for most people is if they really want to create content on the site–because any type of content creation takes time.

I spend a maximum of 15 minutes/day on linkedin/facebook and the only thing about them that I don’t enjoy is how easy it is to get distracted. But work? I suppose I care about it as a reputation tool, but otherwise I don’t really find it time consuming. Facebook and LinkedIn are what you make of them. You can use them to make money from them and work hard at that, you can use it as a reputation tool, or you can just use it to keep up with friends. Only the first scenario seems laborious…and I’d bet most people aren’t working too hard at that.

By: Mike Keliher

Mike Keliher — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:09:43 +0000

It became a “job” when you let it. If you’re not getting value out of it - making money, meeting interesting people, having fun, whatever - it’s going to be seen as work and likely not worth the effort. In fact, the more it’s “effort” and less “desire,” you might need to adjust.

Why or how to you feel compelled, as it seems you do, to put so much time or effort into Facebook, for example, that it becomes unenjoyable?

By: Jared Goralnick

Jared Goralnick — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:21:18 +0000

I spend a maximum of 15 minutes/day on linkedin/facebook and the only thing about them that I don't enjoy is how easy it is to get distracted. But work? I suppose I care about it as a reputation tool, but otherwise I don't really find it time consuming. Facebook and LinkedIn are what you make of them. You can use them to make money from them and work hard at that, you can use it as a reputation tool, or you can just use it to keep up with friends. Only the first scenario seems laborious…and I'd bet most people aren't working too hard at that.

By: Mike Keliher

Mike Keliher — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:09:43 +0000

It became a “job” when you let it. If you're not getting value out of it - making money, meeting interesting people, having fun, whatever - it's going to be seen as work and likely not worth the effort. In fact, the more it's “effort” and less “desire,” you might need to adjust.

Why or how to you feel compelled, as it seems you do, to put so much time or effort into Facebook, for example, that it becomes unenjoyable?