A Cautionary Tale - Mobile Messaging Apps

What you might say has 'Mobile Messaging Apps' to do with recruitment, sourcing or job seeking? [my usual topic/subject of area]

Let me explain, but must start with a location based bias for my recommendation at the end of this post...I live in the Waterloo Region of Ontario, Canada, home of Global HQ of Blackberry (formally RIM or Research In Motion) and despite the changes in the companies fortune - they are still technologically ahead of the competition for its secure messaging and email service.

Explanation by way of a question - What happens to your connections when you die, or change phone number?  Read this recent article "WhatsApp users are identified only through their phone number, rather than a user name."  and then yourself What if...?

The mobile space is growing and individuals and businesses are [if not already] engaging and interacting with customers, consumers, potential employees, etc... on their mobile device, so it is important that contact information and details are up to date, an App that by design fault, would provide incorrect data is a vulnerability for users and suitors alike.  Also, security is a concern - and the with the question [Just how much does big brother know about me from my digital footprint, messages, email, etc...?] hanging over our head - Is there a way to minimize the risk?


Security and cross platform compatibility has been the challenge up to now, with the launch of Blackberry Messenger [BBM] for Android and iPhone, this week - 10 million downloads already and growing - rumours are strong that BBM for Windows devices are close to release - a gaping hole has been filled in somewhat.

So, why does this make sense for recruitment, sourcing and job seekers - with BBM updates, status and information can be broadcast and viewed with your audience without needing to send a message, and when you do want to send a message, you can see when it has been delivered and subsequently read.  One of the downsides [but great security feature] is that if you change platform/devices/number you will need to get a new PIN and let your connections know - small price to pay me thinks...

If you are on BBM [no matter which device or platform] you can send me an invite to connect to my PIN: 284DE350

Happy BBM'ing and share the message and keep secure....

UPDATE 27/10/2013:
Thank to Jeff Lam, MSE for providing this service comparison table: