That's how many "connections" I had amassed on Linkedin since January 2009.
Well, I just "Hoovered" my connections. I went down the list, bit by bit, and removed a whopping 203 from the pile.
Sadly, some of the folks had passed.
I'd say about 1/4 never really used the platform at all even if I knew them well enough.
I'd say another 1/4 might have meant to use the platform, but switched jobs, lost interest, or just didn't bother. It was surprising the number who had duplicate and even triplicate accounts (?)
I was really surprised by the number of what I would consider "high profile" people I know that have poorly executed Linkedin accounts.
I'm not in an area where Linkedin is perceived as a networking opportunity, but it is.
I get requests DAILY from people I have no clue who they are. Somehow they found me. For some reason, they deem me important enough to get in their circles. I suspect it was just because it looked like I could connect them to someone.
This isn't like Twitter where its just a numbers game.
I know there are people I asked to connect with that I might have only tangentially known, but figured that it would be worth keeping in the modern Rolodex that is Linkedin.
This is ACTUAL people. Trying to make actual connections, eventually.
And that is why I punted over 200 from my list.
I have been asked on occasion to make that connection for people who are number one in my circles but number two or three for someone else.
This is why I recommend that if you are going to at least try to take Linkedin seriously that your connections are about quality, not quantity.
Do you really want to connect two people that you BARELY know?
Could you RECOMMEND everyone you eventually connected with?
I barely recognized a huge chunk of my connections and didn't know a bunch.
Well, no longer. I cleaned house and can feel good about my connections on Linkedin.