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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think you don’t block new colleagues on LinkedIn?

135 replies

Everyoneisunreasonable · 07/06/2024 10:44

I work in a global team, and my boss announced a new starter yesterday, based in San Francisco. So, I looked him up on LinkedIn, as you do, to see what his background was. But he wasn’t there, which is highly odd as our job involves a LOT of networking and LI is an important tool in that. I asked a colleague in San Diego if she could see him and she said she had been involved in interviewing him, and that she could.

I couldn’t think of any other explanation than he had blocked me, so I looked him up on my husband’s LI, and could see him. So, he had blocked me!

I asked another European colleague this morning if she could see him, and she couldn’t. So she had been blocked too. Neither of us have ever met this guy before, so it’s not like either of us had offended him! AIBU to think this is a massive red flag and the guy has something to hide? Does anyone have any potential reasons why someone might block new colleagues they haven’t even met? Never come across this behaviour before!

I’m going to ask him at some point, but I’ll wait until I’ve interacted with him a bit first.

OP posts:
TallulahBetty · 07/06/2024 10:53

How is it intrusive? That is literally what LI is for, to look colleagues/contacts etc up.

LemonBitter · 07/06/2024 10:53

Maybe they've deactivated for a bit rather than blocking people individually.

Ultravox · 07/06/2024 10:52

That is so weird of him! Whenever we have a new team hire or new manager, one of the first things everyone does is check out their LinkedIn to see their history & perhaps connect if we would be directly working with them.

Only thing I can think is that he wants to smarten it up before starting the new job.

Hoppinggreen · 07/06/2024 10:52

Its a bit odd.
I always looked people up on LI and connected if I was going to be working with them.
There is probably a simple explanation - maybe he blocked you when he was deciding about the job but then forgot to unblock?

pinkyredrose · 07/06/2024 10:50

ShorterWorkingYear · 07/06/2024 10:47

I'm not in linked in, but I wonder if you might be being too intrusive here?

Show quote history

How exactly is she intrusive?

Brianiac · 07/06/2024 10:50

He sounds weird but as far as I know there's no Criminal History section on LinkedIn so I don't think it's about having anything to hide. Especially if hiring person is not blocked.

If he's done it to others then it's not personal. I'd just forget about it.

Original poster
Everyoneisunreasonable · 07/06/2024 10:50

Nope. It’s part of our job to use LI and I would 100% expect upon joining a new company for my colleagues to look me up. That’s the norm. Which is why this is so weird to block new colleagues you haven’t even met.

OP posts:
ASighMadeOfStone · 07/06/2024 10:49

Maybe he thought, JFC, I've just joined the company and people are snooping.

IfYoureHappyAndYouKnowItHaveAGin · 07/06/2024 10:49

Probably because he didn't want his new colleagues nosing at his background when he's already proved himself in the interviews.

Looking him up out of nosiness is one thing, but then using your husbands profile, and discussing with multiple people and getting them to look too is absolutely ridiculous.

Bringing it up with him would also be ridiculous. He's entitled to block whoever he wants for whatever reason he wants.

ShorterWorkingYear · 07/06/2024 10:47

Everyoneisunreasonable · 07/06/2024 10:44

I work in a global team, and my boss announced a new starter yesterday, based in San Francisco. So, I looked him up on LinkedIn, as you do, to see what his background was. But he wasn’t there, which is highly odd as our job involves a LOT of networking and LI is an important tool in that. I asked a colleague in San Diego if she could see him and she said she had been involved in interviewing him, and that she could.

I couldn’t think of any other explanation than he had blocked me, so I looked him up on my husband’s LI, and could see him. So, he had blocked me!

I asked another European colleague this morning if she could see him, and she couldn’t. So she had been blocked too. Neither of us have ever met this guy before, so it’s not like either of us had offended him! AIBU to think this is a massive red flag and the guy has something to hide? Does anyone have any potential reasons why someone might block new colleagues they haven’t even met? Never come across this behaviour before!

I’m going to ask him at some point, but I’ll wait until I’ve interacted with him a bit first.

I'm not in linked in, but I wonder if you might be being too intrusive here?

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