Instructions Group Email list and Message Board
The "Gemini Consulting Alumni Network" Google Group was setup to expand the communication possibilities that are already being provided to members of the network through the LinkedIn group. As such, this is NOT a replacement, but rather a complement to the existing LinkedIn group.
The "Gemini Consulting Alumni Network" LinkedIn group allows for one-to-one communication among members of the group. It also has some very powerful profile search features and networking capabilities. But, as many members have pointed out, it doesn't allow for the broadcasting of a message to all the "Gemini Consulting Alumni Network" group members.
There are many good reasons why a member of the G** Alumni Network may want to broadcast a message to all the group members. A few legitimate reasons could be:
- To advertise a job opening that could be of interest to former Gemini Consultants.
- To advertise a job opening that you would prefer to fill with somebody who has a Gemini Consulting background.
- To search for particular 'subject matter' expertise (that the person was unable to find using the search facilities of LinkedIn).
- To advertise a city, country or worldwide "Gemini Consulting" reunion.
- To offer SPECIAL discounts, promotions, etc that your company is making available EXCLUSIVELY to former Gemini Consultants.
- Etc.
Since the "Gemini Consulting Alumni Network" is a completely global group, I ask those of you who post job opportunities to this group, to make it very clear whether you will consider any qualified former Gemini Consultant for the job, or whether you will only consider people who are citizens, residents, or who already have a work permit for the country where the job will take place. By being specific in regards to this topic, you avoid wasting the time of potential applicants, and wasting the time of the person that processes the job applications. However, before deciding on this topic, consider the implications of it. If you narrow down your scope too much, you may be missing out on very good international candidates, who could easily be sponsored for a visa.
The 'Gemini Consulting Alumni Network' Google Group offers the possibility to broadcast message to all the members of the network. It uses two complementary approaches to do this.
1) Group Email List
An e-mail system that allows you to broadcast messages to all network members (and automatically post a copy of the message to the Group Message Board that is described below).
Everybody who joins the Gemini Consulting Alumni Network is enrolled (within 7 days after joining the Gemini Consulting Alumni Network Group at LinkedIn) in the Group Message Board. You will know that you have been enrolled in the Group Email List, because you will receive a email message from Google Groups informing you about it.
Once enrolled, you will start receiving messages that are sent from other network members to the group. You will receive as many messages as are sent to the network on that particular day. If you prefer to receive only one email per day with, you will need to change your settings from the Message Board website described below.
You can use any e-mail software to send a message to the group. To do this, simply address the e-mail to:
GeminiConsulting@googlegroups.com
NOTE: To avoid email abuse and spam, there is several rules that need to be followed. They are described in the 'Troubleshooting' area of the document, shown at the end of this document.
2) Group Message Board
The Group Message Board is a website that provides an 'archive' of all messages broadcasted through the Group Email List and the Group Message Board to the "Gemini Consulting Alumni Network". From this website you can read, reply and/or send new messages to the network.
This website can be accessed through the Member Services / Group Email List & Message Board menu on the network website
To be able to access the Group Message Board your membership in the Gemini Consulting Alumni Network needs to be registered with a Gmail account. If you registered to the network with an email address that is not Gmail, and you prefer to be registered with a Gmail address, so that you can access the Message Board, please contact the network manager AFTER you open a Gmail account. Note that there is NO need to open a new Gmail address if you already have one.
Troubleshooting:
- If at any point in time you want to use a different e-mail address for the "Gemini Consulting Alumni Network" Google Group, then you need to inform the administrator of the change, and he will then 'manually' change your e-mail address. Please allow up to 72 hours (3 full days) for your e-mail address to be updated.
- Please note that a change of your 'primary' email address on LinkedIn, will NOT result in a change of your e-mail address registered with Google Groups (Two different and separate databases are in use). So if you want/need to change the email address that is registered in Google Groups, please send a note to the group administrator.
- Members of the G** Alumni Network Google Group are able to send messages to ALL group members from ANY email program by simply sending an email message to:
GeminiConsulting@googlegroups.com
- Members of the G** Alumni Network Google Group are ONLY able to send messages to ALL Group members when they use the email address that is registered in the "Gemini Consulting Alumni Network" Google Groups member database. By default the e-mail address registered is the 'Primary' email address that was being used at LinkedIn when the user first signed up to the group. However if you have requested the group administrator/manager of a change of e-mail address, that is the e-mail address from which you can send messages to the group.
- All messages sent to the group will be moderated by the group manager in order avoid Spam or abuse. As long as the post is deemed to be of value or interest to the larger Gemini Consulting Alumni Network, the message will be approved.
- Most of the time your post will be approved within less than a day. But please allow up to 3 full days (72 hours) before you re-submit your post or send a complaint to the administrator. Please take into account that the Gemini Consulting Alumni Network LinkedIn and Google Groups are being managed by only 1 person, who is doing this as a volunteer. No corporate funding, or sponsorship of any type is currently being provided to the group.
- When replying to messages sent to the Group Email List please be mindful of who will be receiving your reply. If you press 'Reply' in your email program, your response will go only to the person that sent the Group Email. On the other hand if you press 'Reply All' your reply will go to all members of the network (1100+ as of Sept 2016). Realise that a lot of members get upset if they receive emails that are not relevant to them; so for the most part use Reply and NOT Reply All..
Very Important:
DO NOT use the unsubscribe link included by default at the bottom of all the Gemini Consulting Alumni Network messages. This will cause your membership to the Gemini Consulting Alumni Network to be cancelled as the Group Email and Message Board act as the primary register of the network. If you unsubscribe and you later want your account to be re-enabled you will be charged a $25 administrative fee to account for all the work that goes into registering members.