Why I love LinkedIn, or 'It's not about how good you are, it's about how good you look'

 When I used to work at [insert big corporation here], I never felt very proud of it. When people would ask me what I did for a living, I would say I sold drills on the internet.

This was a particularly effective answer when I was once at a comedy set, and the comedian was mining the crowd for professions to make fun of (you’re never going to win the moral Olympics saying you work at a big corporation, especially when everyone else in the room is allegedly an NHS nurse).

This answer was probably less effective when someone I didn’t know asked me what I did at a party, and then walked out of that conversation looking at me slightly weirdly.

But, to be honest, I’ve never been impressed when someone tells me what their job is. Generally, the least interesting topics of conversation I have been involved in concern a. what are you doing on the weekend, and b. what do you do for work. (Conversely, my favourite topic of conversation is asking people what they studied for A-levels, something which has been winning friends and influencing people for me since 2016).

While I am looking for a more permanent job, I am, unfortunately, spending a lot of time these days on LinkedIn. I think LinkedIn probably edges out Instagram as the most toxic media platform.

The premise of Instagram is ‘look how cool I am and how many fun things I do’, but at least it doesn’t lie about it; we all know what we’re doing when we log in and post a story.

LinkedIn is a SUCCESS based platform. Look at this new job I have. Look at this certification I have. Look at how clever I am and how you can be clever and amazing too. And, it is great and fun to celebrate the success of others. But, along with quite a few other things in our society, it reinforces the idea that our value is tied to our success, and that if we simply be better, or follow a few self-improvement tips, we can fix what is wrong with us and, you guessed it, SUCCEED.

Success and growth are VERY different things. You can grow into a kinder, more confident person. You can learn to speak in front of crowds and own up to your mistakes. There is not a more worthwhile pursuit than developing the things in yourself you want to develop.

But, there is no necessary link between growth and success.

Maybe this post is as much a message to myself as anyone else. I have a lot of time to myself these days. One of the more fun things I have had time to do is go back and read my old university essays. And, I guess the thing that strikes me most, is that I am not cleverer now than I was back then. And, it also logically follows that I am probably not funnier now than I was back then. But these are not things that make me sad, they actually make me very happy.

So, despite what a performance review, a job rejection, or the advice someone offers you on LinkedIn may say, you’ve probably always been very good. And, if that is not reflected in your success? Well, don’t worry too much. As I’ve always said, life is a game. And, it’s not about how good you are, it’s about how good you look.

xoxo