LinkedIn Answers... for candidate sourcing?

This is a great addition to LinkedIn.  For those who don't know - LinkedIn is a networking tool with over 9 million members.  You can create a basic account for free and then connect with other professionals.

Basically you post a question and other LinkedIn users will, hopefully, post answers.  The obvious benefit is that it's a forum for getting questions answered and sharing knowledge.  However, for recruiters it may prove a useful resource to locate potential candidates.

Just browsing through recent questions showed a couple of good examples. The question Looking for conferences, events and networking groups focused on manufacturing and/or supply chain has 13 answers at present.  Including ones from a Line Producer, a Head of Product Management and a Director of Product Management. 

Or this one: IPv6 - What is it?.  Now I haven't a clue what IPv6 is but 17 people seem to.  If your assignment was to recruit an IPv6 expert you might want to get in touch some of the people giving answers - maybe including the Global Services Manager at Sun Microsystems, the Group Director at Schematic and the Senior ICT Specialist at British Telecom.  All of whom you can contact via your network at LinkedIn.

I would say it's worth a look for all recruiters.

PS, there has just been an interesting and relevant question posed: Do we believe that LinkedIn and other social networks are going to be the future of online recruitment?.   Anyone care to share their opinion and expertise?