LinkedIn vs. JibberJobber (or, LinkedIn AND JibberJobber?)

This week I was on a call with JibberJobber user Cary who said that when he recommends JibberJobber to his colleagues, they say “I’m already on LinkedIn, so I don’t need that.”

I’ve written about this before: JibberJobber + LinkedIn in 2013 and JibberJobber vs. LinkedIn in 2009. In Joshua Waldman’s best selling book Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies, he recommends JibberJobber as a “tool to organize your job search via social media” (reference).  He does not include LinkedIn as a tool to “organize your job search.”

Why?

Because LinkedIn is not a tool to organize your job search.

LinkedIn is not a CRM.

LinkedIn is barely a roladex replacement.

Let me jump into an analogy.  Let’s say that you are going build a house (which, for some people, feels as complex as managing a job search).  What single tool is the most important tool to use to build a house?

Is the hammer more important than the saw?  Is the plumb bob more important than the level?  Is the heavy machinery (caterpillar tractors) more important than the drill, more important than the measuring tape, more important than the wet/dry vacuum, more important than the nail gun?

To think of building a house with one tool is crazy.  It’s probably impossible.

That’s the difference between JibberJobber and LinkedIn.  They are both tools, and they each have different purposes.

I use LinkedIn to find and research prospects.  What do they say about themselves?  Where did they go to school and work?  What are their specialties?  Where do they live?  Should I get on the phone with them?

I use JibberJobber to keep track of my relationships with people.  Not what necessarily what jobs they have had over the last 10 years, although you could easily track that.  I’m talking about keeping track of where I’m at with a person.  Have we talked?  About what?  What number did I call them at?  Was I supposed to follow-up?  About what, and when?  Who introduced me to that person?  How strong is my relationship with that person?  Did I talk with them, and others, at the same time (like in a panel interview)?

Of course, LinkedIn does other things, like allows me to communicate with people who supposedly have something in common (with LinkedIn Groups), and share my brand statements through Articles and status updates.

And, of course, JibberJobber does other things, like helps me track which jobs I’ve applied to, which versions of which resumes I used, when I sent them, to whom, and whether I’ve interviewed at any jobs and when I should follow-up.

Can you see the difference between these tools?  One is a hammer, which is very, very useful for certain jobs, and the other is a power drill, which is very, very useful for other jobs.  Apples to oranges. Or, as Cary said, “chalk and cheese” (a delightful British phrase).

Would you ever need to use JibberJobber, if you are using LinkedIn?

The question is, really, “is it okay to use the right tools for different jobs?”

I think it’s a pretty obvious yes.

If you think about it, using multiple tools to build a house is the only way to get the job done.

Now, figure out how to actually get value out of LinkedIn (more than just being on it), and combine that with the power of the organizing and tracking features in JibberJobber.  Your job search will change.