Spreading Authenticity Through a LinkedIn Job Search

LinkedIn is consistently ranked as one of the most popular social media sites. But as a user, I sometimes wonder why I bother with it.

It’s supposed to be employment and business-focused. A place to share ideas and job listings and to network with people. When I joined, many years ago, it was that. But now it’s so much more and not necessarily in a good way.

I’ve been happy to have people “connect”. My pal Jason once told me it was like someone you didn’t know coming up to you at a party to chat. You’re not going to just ignore them, right? Of course not. So, letting them into your network of contacts is like saying, hey, how are ya, what do you do? Meet my colleague, so-and-so.

But I promise you that if a financial advisor you’ve never met asks to connect, you will soon get a DM asking whether you have a financial advisor. That’s okay. I get it. They’ve got to make a living. Networking is much of the point. But after the hundredth one, you get a little jaded about accepting certain connection requests. (I do have a financial advisor!)

Or there’ll be a request for a Zoom meeting or discovery call, about lead generation or business growth. I participated in one of these calls a few months ago. Instead of making assumptions, I thought I should see whether it had any value for me. The call was interesting and the guy was a total pro, very nice and friendly. Ultimately, it turned out that I’d need to make a lot more money to be able to afford their service to find me more clients so I could make more money! Worse still, the same guy contacted me a few weeks later as if we’d never met, starting his pitch all over again.

To Tell the Truth

There’s a raging debate on LinkedIn right now about whether or not you should be open that you’re available for work. Some people say it makes a person seem desperate. And hiring managers seem to hate desperation. It’s one of the barriers to finding a new job but it seems a little backwards. If someone’s in desperate need and they’re qualified, wouldn’t that make them a better hire? Or worth taking a chance on?

My profile says I’m open to work and I’ve never thought twice about that. It’s not desperation. I’m a freelancer. We are always open to work. Our workflows change from day to day and most of what we do are called “gigs”. A gig is a one-and-done job. Creating ongoing relationships that produce regular work is ideal but it’s the exception, not the rule. We are constantly hunting and hustling for gigs.

She Told Two Friends, And So On, And So On…

Why wouldn’t I want people to know I can take on new projects? In addition to all the other ways I find work, LinkedIn is supposed to be the GrandDaddy of job-getting sites. One woman put it quite succinctly. Here’s part of her post.

Courtney Summer Myers is a graphic designer who was recently let go from her job. She says she is desperate for work and that's not anything to be ashamed of. "Being laid off doesn't reflect a lack o skills, talent or work ethic - it's just bad luck. No one should be embarrassed that they need to pay their rent and bills, support their family, or feed themselves."

The freelance world that not long ago seemed open and available to everyone has shrunk considerably. There are fewer jobs for writers, designers, artists, and voice-over professionals who freelance. It’s just our reality. So, why shouldn’t we tell people we are available?

Here’s the opinion of a recruiter.

"If you are open to work, please use the green "open to work" banner and status so recruiters can easily find you while sourcing. If you're a recruiter and think that makes an individual seem desperate, it's time to find yourself a new job that's not people centric."

It’s Still Who You Know

Back in my radio career, most hiring was done in the hidden job market. It was about networking and being ready when an opportunity opened up. Yes, companies posted job openings but I can think of four or five occasions when that was just a formality and I – an outsider – got the job. Things have changed, of course, but networking is still smart – if it’s done right – and so is telling people you’re available.

Honesty, transparency and authenticity are traits we all admire. So, why shouldn’t we admire them when it comes to finding new talent, or showing ourselves as free for the next gig?

What LinkedIn really needs to focus on is the huge number of fake or misleading job postings. I will never again apply to a freelance writing gig that’s advertised on LinkedIn. When I see one, I research the company and it’s either:

A freelancer portal disguising itself as an actual job. Pay a fee and get to apply to jobs “like this”.
Spam.
See 1 and 2.

It’s just bullshit and I blame LinkedIn for taking the money and allowing these posts to fool people. I came here for networking and business contacts. LinkedIn keeps asking me to reactivate a premium membership. And those job posts are exactly why I continue to refuse to do so.

PS: LinkedIn sent out new Terms of Service. If you don’t want your content on the site used to train AI, you must opt out. I opted out. 😉