Social Networks - What is the Implication?

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

Unlike my regular visits to the message forum, I rarely log into LinkedIn and even less frequently review my "connections." Today a friend invited me to connect via the site and I wondered how many connections I had. As I was viewing the list, I found an employee that I had to dismiss last week for intentionally violating a company policy and trying to hide it.

 

I've dropped this individual as a connection. While I would not provide a recommendation for him, I suspect that he would point out to others that I am a connection. (I have a fairly solid reputation in my chosen industry.) If I hadn't caught it this quickly and left him there for a while, would other employers take the connection as a small sign of endorsement of him as a candidate for a future job?

[rguer]

I don't think so. I wouldn't. I wouldn't even consider one of the new endorsement badges to mean much.