The Toxic Playground that is LinkedIn

“I am pleased to announce that after an extensive interview process, I am taking my talents to…”

If you’ve been on LinkedIn, the social networking site, you’ve likely come across at least a few posts that have started this way. Especially as we navigate the “Great Resignation,” it might seem like more and more people are announcing big transitions, promotions, and entrepreneurship ventures. At its core, LinkedIn was designed as a place to connect with potential employers or peers in your industry. But in the past couple of years, it has morphed into something else entirely.

I first began using LinkedIn as a student in college. At the time, I had a basic profile that allowed me to search for available summer internship opportunities and get connected to my peers. But as I began investing in developing my profile and building out my network beyond my in-real-life friends, something began to change. I found myself spending time aimlessly scrolling through post after post about exciting new jobs and professional accomplishments.

When a friend gets a new role or promotion, it is an exciting occasion! Perhaps we’d go out to dinner or for drinks to celebrate their accomplishments. But what happens when you’re being bombarded by strangers’ accomplishments online? Slowly, I found myself starting to feel worse and worse about myself while I aimlessly scrolled. Every post from a stranger celebrating their internship offer at Tesla, Facebook, or Google, reminded me that I was prospect-less. When I finally did find an internship, it still didn’t match up with the likes of the big tech companies that every other student on LinkedIn seemed to have an offer to join. In short, I still was behind.

I’ll admit, many years later, I still have mixed feelings about LinkedIn. As a recruiter, I don’t have a choice but to use it on a daily basis. Not only do recruiters use LinkedIn to source candidates, but we oftentimes are asked by our companies to post graphics, hiring ads, or company news on LinkedIn in the hopes that we’ll attract interested candidates. Ironically, despite my disdain for it, LinkedIn helps to make my job easier. Yet, despite feeling secure in my current job, I still have to stop myself from scrolling and comparing myself.