What has been up with LinkedIn recently? How has it become more and more like Facebook—a dump filled with gloom, misinformation, trolling, and bots? We’d completely understand if everyone felt like leaving the platform. Given that so many people have deleted Facebook and many are fleeing X (formerly Twitter), opting out of toxic social media sites is not only understandable, it’s a given these days. Yet, if you’re one of the people who have built a following or a strong network over the years on LinkedIn, your efforts should not go to waste. LinkedIn is not supposed to be Facebook—it's designed to be a helpful, professional job site! As we think ahead to 2025 and about the things we would like to see change for the better, we can’t help but brainstorm what it would be like to fix LinkedIn as a community that once functioned as a promising job site.
LinkedIn is not LiveJournal, but it sure has morphed into a similar space! Through the desperation, the job loss, and the endless doom scrolling of dead-end job postings, LinkedIn has become the type of site that rewards outrage, tears, and heartbreaking stories, but often hides meaningful, helpful content. Where should you go if you need to get something personal off your chest? Talk to people close to you, write an email to select friends who understand and can be there for you, or talk to your therapist. Remember that feelings pass and so does the dopamine hit of approval on social media. But content on the internet lasts forever and in the minds of those from your network. Don’t embarrass yourself and possibly ruin your professional reputation for a few likes.
We’ve covered scam job postings recently as perpetrators continue to get more and more savvy. But it’s important that we stick together and help weed the bad postings from the good. We can help each other out by posting about scams as they occur and warning colleagues to steer clear of certain companies or users. Reporting terrible jobs to LinkedIn also helps to prevent others from wasting their time applying for a fake or expired position.
There are more and more people seeking out attention in all the wrong ways on LinkedIn. They are simply looking to game an algorithm that rewards incendiary and hyperbolic content. The most effective way you can combat these posts is by not engaging with this type of content. If someone is posting hateful or NSFW content, then report it and move on. It’s never worth your time to fight in the comments section—and especially not on a job-based site like LinkedIn.
We say “real” messages because there is no need to respond to sponsored or spam messages in your LinkedIn inbox. But when a recruiter or colleague reaches out to you, you should respond right away. You never know what the conversation will yield and the potentiality of expanding your network is always a good thing for your career.
Referrals have always been the best way to land an interview, period. If there is an open role in your company, why not post about it? You could receive a bonus from your job while getting someone hired in this tough job market. We love to see these types of posts on LinkedIn because this is exactly what the site was intended to do: help people find jobs!
Can your advice help others succeed? Are you a problem-solver with an idea? Are you knowledgeable in an area and can answer questions for LinkedIn articles? Have you taught a LinkedIn Course or found one to be excellent? These are the types of content that will resonate with job-seekers and your network. Plus, posting positive, helpful content positions you as a worthwhile asset to the people you know. You might just inspire great articles to bloom from others on LinkedIn once more.
Do continue to remind people you are looking for work and explain exactly what you’re looking for. Do continue to engage with colleagues, check in once in a while, and update your profile occasionally. Do post content when you feel engaged and positive, especially if your words can have an impact on others. Do NOT let LinkedIn be a metric for your success—it is an unpredictable algorithm not made with users in mind.
Instead, get back to meeting people IRL and through more intimate communications like newsletters, DMs, and emails. And if you’re looking for recruiters to connect with, reach out to us here at Artisan! We can help with your hiring needs or help you land a new gig.