It is two days since we launched the new References feature on our platform. In doing so we have fulfilled a direct feature request from a great deal of members and created a valuable additional networking tool that helps vouch for the quality of your work.

As a Premium Member, you can display references to other members in your profile and receive recommendations from any XING member, whether Premium or basic. So how is the best way to make the most of your references on XING? (more…)

The best kind of news provokes an interested reaction or a brief message of congratulation – something that takes little effort on your part and is bound to please the person with the news. And best of all, it imprints you on their memory once again.

Being able to see which contacts have a birthday on your home page (the birthday reminders via mail are ideal here too) or when contacts post something interesting in their status message is practically an open invitation to get in touch. You might well come across profile changes in “What’s new in your network” that could also give cause for congratulation: A new job, a change of address or promotion. Setting up an RSS feed means you don’t miss out on anything. (For more details here, have a read of my previous posts Status update: Keeping your network in-the-know and Quick start your networking by customizing your home page.) (more…)

Anyone who uses the Internet should make sure to protect their privacy and be very careful about giving away personal information. After all, anything you find in the offline world, you’ll find in some form in the online world too, and unfortunately positive experiences and people with good intentions aren’t the only things you’ll come across. That’s why it’s important to stay alert and use common sense when using social networks. It’s possible for dubious offers to show up on XING, too. If you come across any, please report the member and the message to us. Although the site provides you with a certain level of protection, there are also things you can do as a user to protect yourself and your privacy.

First of all, it’s important for every user to think about what type of information they want people to be able to search for to find them. What private information are you willing to make public? And what information do you consider to be too private to reveal to the general public? When you know where your boundaries are, it is very easy to control your profile and the way you use the Internet. (more…)

Regardless of whether you already have hundreds of contacts or are just starting out with a close-knit group of personal acquaintances: Successful networking is all about managing, maintaining and deepening those contact ties. Wishing them a Happy Birthday if one example of this (check out our convenient reminders here) – but more importantly still it is the ability to identify and be aware of your contacts’ needs, skills and positions, and then to make use of these to your advantage.

Do you know which of your contacts is based in New York, which in Boston and which in Atlanta? Who can speak Portuguese in your network? Who’s a whizz at Photoshop? Who has good contacts in mechanical engineering? It is at times when time is pressing that it pays off most to have a highly organized network.
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One of XING’s smaller features but certainly one that generates considerable interest and attention is the status update feature. I find at least that I always get a stream of visitors to my profile and often direct responses whenever I post a new status update. It is a great way to share information, perhaps to let your clients know you have spare capacity to take on work, or that you’re on vacation and not available, for instance. Or perhaps you want to share a tip or link that you think will interest your contacts. The possibilities really are endless here.

Some general points about status updates

I’m sure many of you will already know where to post and edit your status updates. Just go to your own profile and it is located in the top right-hand corner. (more…)

1. Your profile: Fill in your profile completely, and you’ll rise to the top of search results. Especially important are your “Haves” and “Wants”  – many people use the Powersearch to find contacts this way. Try to avoid generic terms such as “Contacts”.
2. Use the “About me” to tell more about yourself or post an image (see my earlier post for more information). (more…)

Ask any successful networker: it’s not about how many contacts you have. And because size doesn’t matter, you should think about what you want your network to do before you start building it. Ask yourself: Do I need a regional network, or one that spans continents and oceans? Which companies and industries are particularly important for me? What about contacts? Which former contacts (coworkers, school friends, etc.) could I fall back on? (more…)

There are of course different ways of managing your contacts. I only confirm contact requests from people I’ve already met in real life. This is important for me to keep track of the people in my network. I know that other friends and colleagues of mine confirm all contact requests they receive on the other hand.

There really is no right and wrong here. It all depends on how much you value personal exchanges with your contacts. The more contacts you have, the more difficult it is to maintain close ties with your whole network.

The idea of declining contact requests can seem like a slightly awkward issue. But that doesn’t have to be the case if you send a clear and reasonable reason for your decision.

I always send a polite message when declining contacts. (more…)

Is it better to introduce contacts to each other, or refer one to the other? Many XING users discuss exactly this question (it’s not as trivial as it may seem at first). You can find both options by clicking on your contact’s profile page, and then on the “Introduce” button in the upper-right corner. I’d like to briefly explain what the difference is, and when each option is the right one.

Your two options: referring or introducing.

Introduce contacts to one another: This means that both people will receive a message from you. The first person as a XING message, the second person either as an email or a XING message.

Refer this person to somebody else: You can either send the second person a XING message or an email with the contact you’d like to refer. The person you wish to refer will not be notified.

The difference between the two is simple: in the first case, you’ve introduced two individuals, similar to doing so in person. Both know of the introduction and can decide whether they’d like to connect or even do business together. In the second case, I’m just passing a name along to another contact of mine, such as handing over a business card. The person I give the “business card” to can do whatever he wants: either contact the person, hold on to the card, or throw it away. (more…)

Oh no, another new tool?  That’s what I thought a while ago too when the name Twitter was making its way around the world. Then I decided to try it out last year after the community summit and I was very impressed with it. A lot of Web 2.0 colleagues used it to talk about how the convention was going, even with non-participants.

What is Twitter?

Twitter is a micro-blogging service that members can use to send text messages of up to 140 characters. You can read more about it in Wikipedia. Besides being able to send short messages over the web-based interface (which includes pages for cell phones), numerous programs and tools are available for the service because the interface is freely accessible. (more…)