Here’s a specification for the social networking links for professional guilds (career/job) based around a member’s work history. I’m interested in feedback.

Here's the intro, go here for the entire document.

Job/Career Networking
Connections & Validations Specification
Original Document completed on 4/23/03 by Cynthia Typaldos
Slightly edited on 10/10/03 and 11/12/03
See also www.typaldos.com

This specification documents how to do the social networking part of a Job/Career website. Keep in mind that social networking isn’t everything for a successful job/career website, but it is important. There is a lot more information to be found on my website www.typaldos.com, my blog www.typaldos.blogspot.com, the SPM (a.k.a. ProfGuild) website at www.softwareproductmarketing.com, and also at www.resumeblog.blogspot.com.

There are several key points:


• Paying members are able to develop a reputation thru the use of connections and validations. This, along with the ability to do activities, is the main functional difference between paying members and non-paying members. For more on this concept see the presentation on a similar system proposed to Napster on my website at http://www.typaldos.com/presentations/monetize.file.sharing/monetize.file.sharing.12.5.02.12pm_files/frame.htm titled “Monetizing File Sharing Services” dated 12/5/02 but actually developed over a year or so earlier (along with a prototype).
  
  
• Even though non-paying members are not able to develop a reputation (because their connections and validations are not visible), they can still accumulate these connections (but not validations) at the request of paying members. Again, this is simply another example of the basic reputation-based subscription service laid out in the original presentation prepared for Napster. Once a non-paying member pays, the accumulated connections which were hidden (to peers) become visible.
  
  
• A working prototype has been built by me and Patrick Neeman. For access to the prototype please contact me. Be prepared to do a business deal rather than just exchange ideas.

Career/Job Social Networking: Relationship Management of Connections and Validations