"The views expressed in this article are solely my own and do not represent the views of any organization or business with which I am associated. I have only used LinkedIn for the purpose of providing my professional resume and experience for the benefit of potential employers. This article does not reflect the views of any company or organization I am affiliated with and is an independent reflection of my personal opinions."
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For as long as I had my account, Linkedin has been a fully-functional, non-glitchy website to network with professionals in my career field. It used to be my go-to website to find ways to develop myself professionally. Chances are that YOU are reading this right now because of my LinkedIn page. Nowadays, however, I only log in twice a year (at best) to update my CV, as I have grown to hate using Linkedin.
In the past, LinkedIn was a great platform for connecting job seekers and employers, and for those looking to advance their career. But now, it has become a vanity project, full of posts about people's successes, accomplishments, and latest endeavors. The focus of the platform has shifted from career advancement to self-promotion.
What’s worse is that companies have started to contribute to the problem by using LinkedIn as a platform to post job openings and other career opportunities, but also to promote their products and services. This means employers are competing for attention with individuals on the platform, and it is detracting from the focus on career advancement. Furthermore, influencers have become popular on the platform by posting about their successes, and they are given preferential treatment by LinkedIn, meaning their posts are seen by more people than those of other users. The end result is that LinkedIn has become an irrelevant platform for job seekers, as they are more likely to be distracted by posts about accomplishments rather than job postings.
Fortunately, there are still ways to use LinkedIn effectively for career advancement. It is still a great way to network and connect with potential employers, as well as to showcase skills and experience. Job seekers should also remember that many job opportunities are not posted on LinkedIn, and that networking and other methods are the best ways to find them.
Overall, LinkedIn is still a valuable tool for those looking to advance their career. But its devolution from a professional platform to a more generic social media platform has been a massive disappointment. For job seekers who wish to avoid using LinkedIn, there are several alternatives they can use to search for job opportunities.