Microsoft employees not permitted to join or use LinkedIn

I shit you not. This is not fake news or some attempt to be funny or catchy. It’s one of those classic occurrences like Bill Gates predicting in 2004 that “Two years from now [thus by 2006], spam will be solved.”

OK, so I joined LinkedIn back in December 2004. A good friend and colleague invited me 6 months earlier and kept insisting I look at it. I’m glad he did. Thank you Pieter.

Normally (back then) I was the innovator in these sorts of things. IN this instance I was a little slow on the uptake. Once I finally joined I proceeded to invite people I knew, liked and trusted. Since I had consulted to Microsoft nearly 5 years earlier I chose some of my contacts from Microsoft to invite. I figured they are tech savvy and will see the benefit. Below is the (name sanitised) email I received back at the time.

—–Original Message—–
From: XXXXX XXXXXX [mailto:XXXXXXX@microsoft.com]
Sent: Monday, 6 December 2004 X:XX XM
To: Paul J. Lange
Subject: RE: Connect on LinkedIn?

Hi Paul,

I’m sorry, we are not allowed to participate in services such as LinkedIn and the likes by very strict Company policy, nobody within MS is allowed to.

Kindest Regards,
Microsoft B.V.

XXXXX XXXXXX

Consultant
Microsoft Services
e-mail: XXXXXXX@microsoft.com

Mobile: +31-6-XXXXXXXX
tel.: +31 (0) 20 500 XXXX
fax: +31 (0) 20 542 XXXX

—–End of Message—–

What a difference a decade makes and demonstrative of the lack of vision in Microsoft. Something that still haunts them today.