>the underlying theory behind the concealment of connections to invitees.

Here’s a swag:

I believe I have seen (can’t prove it) a recruiter create “strawmen”. A fake online identity in LinkedIn. The profile was relatively complete. But, when you ping the person, you get no response. Since this particular “strawmen” and I were relative tight when we worked together. And, I’m kind of distinctive (gobble gobble big fat old turkey are easily identified), I’d have expected a response. There was no other introduction path to him other than thru this recruiter, the recruiter had contacts cloaked (so I couldn’t confirm others), and nobody responded to an inmail. Eventually the profile was deleted. So there’s one reason, “fraud”.

My lawyer has a LinkedIn persona, but cloaks his clients for fear of violating privilege.

A VC I know cloaks lest he give away anything accidentally

>It seems that the purpose of networking is to get and give contacts.

I don’t agree with the premise.

My purpose in networking is to “learn stuff”. That maybe to give and receive contacts, but not necessarily.

I believe that the PRIME DIRECTIVE of networking is to first seek to understand “stuff” (i.e., what can I do that others value; wisdom in using it to achieve my goals; how to establish the “weak ties” that are so valuable), then to be understood (i.e., let me tell you what I think I need).

The law of weak ties says something like “people are generally good; if they can help you, then they will; sometimes you need a spider’s web of “listening posts” around the globe that when trigger get you the needed information; that gets you a new job”. So, if I know what you want, say via a networking profile, (mine is at http://home.comcast.net/~v2y2r0n27rhj6y/DATA/Reinke_2005_networking_profile.htm), and I hear something that “fits”, then I’ll contact you.

So for example, when I am networking with a newly axed turkey, I get his networking profile and put it on my wall by the phone at work and my home office. (I use it as a reminder that I too will soon be out of a job and to pay attention to what is important!) We may never talk again, but as long as that profile is on my wall, that turkey has a chance of hearing from me.

That’s what I think networking is about.

Now some people will do nothing, but most will try to help. (In all the time I have been doing this, I have only had 4 people tell me to “buzz off”. Of course, I have put them on my “S” list. … … “S” is for “Special”!)

As long as you’re “easy to do business with”.

In terms of LinkedIn, even the Zero Help people, by the fact that they connect, even if those connects are hidden, they have made their contacts findable by you in search. You can connect to them with an InMail for a few bucks. So, unlike the old days, where Zero Help could frustrate you from looking their rolodex. With LinkedIn, that can’t happen. So Zero Help IS valuable, in that, his network is in LinkedIn!!!