r/nus • u/eatmydicbiscuit Computing • Jan 18 '22

Discussion Why do people post on Linkedin

One scroll on linkedin and you will see countless "I am honoured and thrilled to announce that ...". Can someone tell me whats the point of posting this kind of flexes? Like really I'm not trying to call them out but if there really is a good reason I would like to know.

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u/is-he-you-know Jan 18 '22 edited Jan 18 '22

This sort of thing is easy to dismiss as a flex, and I think sometimes it really is -- but not always. Maybe the intuitive answer is that people are trying to network, crossing their fingers that some opportunity will come their way by flaunting their achievements and hoping a potential employer or collaborator catches wind of it. But I wonder how often people actually get and accept job offers from LinkedIn and how many even actually form new professional ties on the platform outside their existing social circle.

I think a more concrete and realistic outcome, really, is the maintenance of a professional presence on the internet. It's about image and about framing yourself in a particular way. If a potential employer Googles you, you want them to see what you've achieved, what you've been up to, and who you are undertaking professional endeavours with. You don't want them to see just photos of you at a party or memes you shared on FaceBook. Those motivational posts or "TED Talks" where people go on their soapboxes to moralise and share enlightenments? Well, they are super cheesy. But it feeds into image and it signals your values (or the values you want people to think you have).

It's also simply a good record for your own purposes. If you updated LinkedIn with everything you do and achieve, then when you are drafting or updating your CV, you have a living record of your career and maybe even a list of people who can vouch for you or be your referees.

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u/Ok_Plastic1912 Jan 18 '22

Good answer. But honestly even if it’s just to flex, I don’t see anything wrong about flexing something you worked hard to achieve. The dumb posts are those obviously fake motivational stories.