Connections eMagazine

A report from Larry Phipps, a Greater IBMer

Christian Birke
our 10,000th Greater IBMer Did you know that The Greater IBM Connection stretches around the globe? From a standing start 18 or so months ago, the Connection now embraces more than 28,000 Greater IBMers.

Networking is for real! The Greater IBM Connection is for real! If any of us thought Web-based networking was only for teens, what we're experiencing here should open our eyes to the enormous potential of what we're doing. I know that's been my experience.

Of course, if you've ever looked for a job or tried to get established in a new community (they used to say IBM stood for "I've been moved", after all), you've probably put networking to the test. Calling old acquaintances, asking for referrals, looking for the best doctor or pet hospital or restaurant or plumber - the list can get pretty long, but you know what I mean. We've all networked or helped others network. Even if we called it "getting settled" or "checking things out."

That's just what's happening in The Greater IBM Connection. One Greater IBMer tells another or sends an invitation or shares the fun of a recent get-together … before you know it, the community has grown from a handful of "okay, I'll give it a try" folks to the thousands who now belong.

And you'll find them in all kinds of places. More than 4,000 have joined the Greater IBM community on LinkedIn and another 1,500 belong to Greater IBM on FaceBook. Nearly 3,000 belong in Germany and more than 7,000 are in the community made up entirely of former GBS (Global Business Services) IBMers.

The fastest-growing segment of our community can be found on The Greater IBM Connection hosted on Xing, where Christian Birke has just become the 10,000th member. Christian worked for IBM Information Technology & Services, 2002-2003, before joining Volkswagen Financial Services. He joined to "connect to people who'll give me insight into lots of different topics. Working for IBM helped me learn a lot in a short time."

By the time you read this, dozens more will have followed Christian's example and become part of the Greater IBM connection.

Krishna Khatri
found a mentorOne new member, Krishna Kumar Khatri in India, wrote in the Greater IBM Forum that he'd been turned off by the online social networks - and then discovered Greater IBM soon after joining GBS. "To my surprise, I found that it (Greater IBM) is indeed much more than just another social-networking portal … from all age groups and domains - software engineers, developers, consultants, IT architects, CTOs and CIOs … interacting with each other and finding new ways of innovation in collaboration and business."

Capping the Greater IBM experience for Krishna was what happened next: "within two weeks of my registration on Xing, I found a mentor for me (amazing)."

Those stories can be echoed by your fellow members in Germany, US, Canada, UK, France, Italy, Denmark, Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, India, Japan, and dozens of other countries around the world.

What's been your experience since joining Greater IBM? Are you networking? Have you discovered new opportunities? Are you discovering and being discovered?

Share your experience, as Krishna and many others have done, by saying hello to your fellow Greater IBMers in the Forums.

Comment on one of the Greater IBM blogs. Join one of the regular "New Member Welcome" Web-and-audio seminars.

And, first of all, fill in your profile with information on your experience, your hopes, and your skills. That's how other like-minded Greater IBMers can find you.

Whether it's discovering a new mentor or uncovering a fresh career move, the tools are in place. It's up to you to make use of them.

Finally, keep spreading the word. Go to www.greateribm.com and use the invitation form there to tell other former IBMers about this rapidly growing network.

Each person who joins represents a unique set of experiences, skills and interests. And the sum of all of these unique experiences, skills and interests is a vital community that offers more options - and opportunities - for Greater IBMers everywhere.