LinkedIn is about (shameless) self-promotion
Hello guys,
I browsed LinkedIn today and it made me feel uneasy. Almost 95% of the post I was browsing were about self-promotion:
"I am honoured to be..."
"I am glad to share with you..."
Followed by the new title/promotion/prize received.
There might be a little envy there. It triggers envy like FB does. However, now it feels old and stale to self-promote this way. Since everybody does it now, it looks a little bit "cliché".
I saw one smart post: it was from a Professor of surgery posting a picture of his senior resident physicians and announcing their promotion to attending physicians in community hospitals. This feels genuine and a source of Pride for him. He's promoting them, they're not promoting themselves.
The other smart way to self-promote is talk about the struggles that led you there (LucioTM). At least you can help people relate to your journey, be inspired and it feels less like shameless promotion. The people who saw you struggle will feel a sense of pride for you instead of envy. There is more a sense of connection.
Of course, one can share the sheer joy of success and then it has a different flavour. I think it comes down to authenticity.
Otherwise, the majority of self-promotion posts on LinkedIn feel more like a "keep up with the Joneses/rat race" kind of feeling. It's more for the middle upper class competing for the jobs at the top.
What I mean is that I feel a bit of disgust as it's one more aspect that keep us in an unhealthy mindset of one-upping one another. It's all about me-me-me. Don't mistake me. I'm on LinkedIn (I use it very rarely though, hence the surprise). However, I feel it can be a trap as it can triggers our insecurities or feelings of superiority (all false emotions triggered by the ego, not relevant to our current situation AKA what we can control). It can lead us to seek validation. "Comparison is the thief of Joy".
Yes we can go high in our respective careers and it's a good thing. However, it's a matter of priority. I prioritise my inner self as I could see very successful people quite unhappy. So I think it's a matter of awareness.
It's good to use LinkedIn now and then for targeted goals. However, overusing it can lead us further away from focussing on what we can control and our own self-image.
In this case I would prioritise self-awareness and mental health over power and status. It's a matter of focus.
Cheers!
Yep, if there were such a thing as "fake score", Linkedin would probably top Facebook.
One of the highest potential fake format is the "look at my new cool job, framed as me professing gratitude to my past employer, and looking forward to the exciting new "challenges" with this new one".
The good ones also tag all their bosses as far up as they can go, so they get extra visibility, avoid making it seem like they left them behind for more money, and keep good relationships in the industry.