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On 31 March 2008, I mentioned that I’d joined Dan Leuck’s social networking site TechHui. Dan sent me his invitation through LinkedIn, a global professional network that I’ve mentioned in several articles in billso.com:

• 14 March 2008: Social media in action
• 10 August 2007: Forty-somethings flock to Facebook
• 2 July 2007: CXOs face malware email attacks
• 20 June 2007: Facebook vs MySpace

My LinkedIn network has grown quite a bit in the last few months as more users join that service, and I enjoy meeting new people through the site. LinkedIn focuses on working professionals, as well as sole proprietors and entrepreneurs. The user interface is cleaner than Facebook or MySpace, as LinkedIn does not support applications or media players yet.

My LinkedIn profile is available through the button on the right side of my website at billso.com.

I have also set up an HPU MSIS Alumni group in LinkedIn. Graduates of HPU”s Master of Science in Information Systems program who are also LinkedIn users can use this link to join the group. Group members can display an HPU MSIS alumni badge in their LinkedIn profile. Many universities have established similar groups on LinkedIn to promote alumni events and enhance their branding.

From 10 Things, here’s a list of IT team leadership styles. IT managers have a poor reputation as managers, but I find that stereotype is not always deserved. All managers have to deal with their periods of fear, overconfidence, and weakness.

My university’s MSIS program helps students develop their leadership and management skills through coursework, especially in the IS 6100 and IS 7010 courses that I teach.

For some students, additional work may be needed outside the classroom. Toastmasters is one way to get public speaking experience, and I highly recommend this group. The meetings are a fun way to network, too.

I’m always surprised when MSIS students tell me they haven’t joined an industry association like the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) or the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

Trade groups are an excellent way to network and find jobs. I was a board member of the Honolulu AITP chapter for 3 years. The meetings are interesting, and the coconut job line is alive and well.

Student memberships in some of these groups are an excellent bargain. The ACM includes access to its digital library. It’s a great way to do a literature review without visiting a physical library. The ACM is a global organization, and its placement service lists jobs around the world.

Anyone who studies telecommunications and wants to stay in Hawaii needs to join the Hawaii Telecommunications Association (HTCA). This group holds a conference each October, and their monthly meetings are well attended by CXOs, managers and technologists.

10 Things recently published their own list of essential IT organizations, which provides some more groups.

I’m doing a guest lecture on action research in Larry Rowland’s IS 6000 course in a few minutes. The PPT file is here.