Linkedin. What is it actually for?

[Psychoticbreak]

My ex used to tell me to get on there as he is on there and when I looked at his page it is just a list of jobs and things he has done so to me it is a website for looking for jobs etc so I didnt bother because I have a job and am happy there as is he but I just wondered do employers not see this as a threat? I mean if you are on there surely you are happy to move jobs or have I got it completely wrong?

I use LinkedIn all the time - mainly for developing new professional connections, keeping up with the latest news and stories in my industry, connecting with former colleagues. My company actively encourages us to be active on LinkedIn to share our work and identify new business opportunities

Yes, you do have it wrong.

Some use it to promote their organisation’s employer brand. Some use it to market themselves to prospective clients. Some use it for learning - LinkedIn Learning is pretty good.

I use it to keep up-to-date with current thinking in my own industry and to generally raise my profile. I’m a freelancer so this is an important part of building relationships with clients and prospective clients. I use it to actively network.

If you aren’t looking to do anything like that then I can see why you wouldn’t see the need for it. Increasingly employers use it to validate the CV. I’d be really surprised if I came across a professional who wasn’t on LinkedIn . In some ways I’d be quite suspicious but recognise that isn’t very rational of me.

Im an accountant but I was headhunted for my job and that was decades ago and I could not be bothered leaving now anyway but that is interesting and I clearly have it wrong. I forgot he said about the learning too actually.

Couple of my family work for a well known City firm. Have to be on it for all the aforementioned reasons.

It's to be delighted about everything 😂
I recommend "LinkedIn lunatics" on reddit.

On serious matters, as @llareggub described

I came off it after I saw my builder’s wife had looked me up. It’s quite a lot of information to have on display to someone like that who doesn’t need to know it.

For me, it is a news feed for my industry and my main source of professional networking. I see company press releases on there, promote my company to prospective clients, research who is working at a company of interest and also contact people through the messaging function which has led to $$$ business for my company. I also get head hunted through there routinely which I don’t mind even though I am happy where I am.

Well my DH gets targeted for jobs by sexy HR Managers with Eastern European names a lot.. Started when he was listed as “Director”,

Got my last two (good, well paid) jobs via LinkedIn

Im not looking for work but am active on LinkedIn, I use it to keep up to date with industry developments. We bits of law or a significant case (I work in law).

Also people I follow just post interesting stuff. I've picked up a few volunteering opportunities on there too.

Same here! We had a bit of a scary situation at home where my name was used. It made me reassess privacy and I thought anyone can look me up and see where I work and all my previous history.

I wasn't planning on moving roles so I deleted my profile and changed my Facebook settings to private.

I was a top rated profile but I never updated anything and it was mainly men looking with no link to my industry at all!

It's social media for work 🤮

It's a ghastly social network masquerading as a jobs board and owned by Microsoft.

Unless you have to be on it, why give them free content from your verifiable personal information?

I agree it is more like another social media site these days, and I think that's a good thing.
I use it for learning, networking, and getting new clients for the business I work at. I also freelance building people's personal brands on there.

Happy to answer any questions

Supposedly for networking.

In practice, somebody's name popping up gives an employer the heads up they're looking and it's perfect for creepy blokes, exes and pissed off clients to track you.

I'm an in-house recruiter and fill about 90% of my vacancies from people I find on LinkedIn.

Nope. If you only use it for that you're outing yourself. You can have your status as "looking but don't make it visible to my employer"

Tbh if you use it "properly" well, judiciously) it can be very helpful

I use it constantly as part of my job (journalist) for all of the above reasons, to share big stories and features in the industry I write about (and tag people in them so they like and share, which pushes me and my publication up the algorithm so more people see posts) and to research companies and check the info I’ve been given on press releases about someone’s work history is correct.

I have my settings so no-one can see I’ve looked them up and I can’t see who’s seen my profile either.

It’s become even more useful since the start of the demise of Twitter/X - professionals share much more information on there than other social media platforms now. No-one in my industry globally isn’t on it.

I'm an accountant too. Been on LinkedIn for years. I often look up clients and contacts. It's like Facebook for business.

Interviewees also look me up. Clients can look me up. Message business contacts rather than email sometimes. It's useful

Imagine you work somewhere that really doesn't give a toss about your pronouns, but you still feel the need to shout them from the rooftops.

LinkedIn is thataway ---->

Everyone is just so “happy to share XYZ” on there, which is usually just tedious, bragging stuff, that’s neither interesting nor joyful. 🤮

Delighted, not happy😂

@Chilicabbage delighted, that’s the term. Week 1 (made redundant) “I’m leaving an amazing team, amazing learning, looking forward to the future” (I’m fucking bitter and terrified). Week 20 “I’m delighted to share I’m starting a new role with an amazing team, amazing learning, looking forward to the future” (screw you, previous job).

It should be like an online CV

People at the employer look for current staff without them being 'attached' iyswim?

Still doesn't stop you being followed by weirdos, either.