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:

 

Shut The Front Door! - You use LinkedIn to network!

What do we have here?

A wonderful feature of the paid LinkedIn account is 'InMail', this is an internal messaging/mail service that lets you reach-out and communicate with individuals without having to go through the embarrassing process of 'sending a meaningful and informative connect request', getting accepted [or rejected] and then sending a message to explain more....

Notice I used the word 'COMMUNICATE'  and not 'connect'.  Whilst many individuals view LinkedIn as a social media tool used exclusively by and for recruiters, it is first and foremost a 'NETWORKING' tool!

Now most people can and do operate a free LinkedIn account, therefore you don't have access to the 'InMail' tool, but what you do have is the ability to connect via 2nd or 3rd level connections, utilize these by developing a positive and value proposition reason for your connection to communicate with the target person.

A highly reputable and strongly opinionated 'Professional in the Recruitment World' added a comment to one of my recent pinterest 'pins' stating - " LI isn't a social media site. It's a job board/resume database with a Q/A section."  I have heard it said by others that they don't like LinkedIn because they are being contacted by 'recruiters', Yep that is right, Recruiters are quite prevalent on LinkedIn and do reach out to people who they feel will add value to their network - that is how they [Recruiters/HR/Sales/etc... can help find [source] potential candidates/business leads to meet their clients needs/requirements in the present and future.