The following piece is an opinion and does not reflect the views of The Eagle and its staff. All opinions are edited for grammar, style and argument structure and fact-checked, but the opinions are the writer’s own.
When I first created my LinkedIn account, I was excited. I saw it as a place to find internships, explore career paths and connect with people who shared similar goals. But, as I started connecting with classmates from high school and people I know at AU, my feed was different than I expected. Instead of job tips or networking advice, I saw posts about someone building a PC with his little brother, passion projects and advertisements for groups to join or schools to apply to.
When I started looking for internships on the site, I found that most positions simply included a link to visit the company or organization’s website. This confused me and made me wonder how LinkedIn differs from platforms like Indeed or Handshake.
LinkedIn’s original intent was not to be a social media site where people post updates about their lives. It was a place to search for and post job listings, but it has evolved into a space for sharing personal career accomplishments and connecting with friends. People post about their opinions, trips and life updates — which people can like and comment on just as they would on social media apps. What was once a place for professional development is now essentially a social media site.
Similar to LinkedIn, Facebook began as an app for people on Harvard University’s campus to connect, and it has since developed into a platform for people to share personal updates about their lives.
Though LinkedIn has strayed from its original purpose, change isn’t always bad. Admittedly, LinkedIn’s social aspects make it more inviting and less intimidating to college students. People might feel more comfortable posting about a class project they completed if they see that others have done the same. Actions like this might allow a company to better understand the personality of a prospective employee. For better or for worse, this personal aspect of LinkedIn is now part of the job hunt.
So, how should college students and the general public adapt to the current state of LinkedIn?
One option is to play into the website’s evolving culture. LinkedIn has become a place where people curate a brand for themselves, posting updates about what they do and how it relates to their careers. By following this trend, people can create personal profiles that appeal to employers.
Another option is to work against it. Treat LinkedIn as it was originally intended: as a digital resume and networking tool. One can create a professional profile and appeal to companies that prefer this.
Regardless of how people respond to LinkedIn’s present circumstances, the site has undergone significant changes since its inception. Whether people opt to embrace this change or stick with a more professional approach, they should be deliberate about what they do. Either of these approaches works as long as it is intentional.
The worst strategy a person can have is to not choose one of these options and wait for a job to appear. LinkedIn is a stage now, and people should be deliberate in how they present themselves to fully capitalize on the platform’s opportunities for career advancement.
Avyay Sriperumbudur is a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences and a columnist for The Eagle.
This article was edited by Quinn Volpe, Alana Parker and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Sabine Kanter-Huchting and Emma Brown.
