Adem's Dev Journey

Why I Can't Stand LinkedIn: A Look at How the Platform Has Changed for the Worse

15 Jan 2023 | 3 mins read

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This blog post is a rant. Iā€™m going to talk about how LinkedIn has become a place for people to post irrelevant content and cringy posts.

šŸ“ This is my personal opinion. Iā€™m not trying to offend anyone. Iā€™m just sharing my thoughts. If you disagree with me, please let me know in the comments šŸ‘‡

I joined LinkedIn in June, 2016. I was a student at the time and I was looking for internships. LinkedIn was a great place to connect with people and find jobs. It was a place where you could find people who are experts in their field and learn from them. I liked it a lot. I donā€™t remember seeing any cringy postsā€¦

But now, LinkedIn has become a place for people to post irrelevant content and cringy posts. I donā€™t like it anymore.

But Iā€™m forced to use it because recruiters are using it to find candidates. Itā€™s a necessary evil šŸ˜ˆ

Every time I open LinkedIn, I feel like Iā€™m in a different world. Itā€™s like Iā€™m in a different planetā€¦

Here are some reasons why I canā€™t stand LinkedIn:

1. Cringy Posts

One of the biggest changes I have noticed on LinkedIn is the increase in cringy posts. From motivational quotes to overly personal stories, the platform is now filled with content that adds no value to the professional networking experience. Itā€™s hard to scroll through my feed without coming across something that makes me roll my eyes.

Sorry about the cringy posts. I had to share them with you. šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚

Thatā€™s just a few examples. There are many more. Iā€™m sure youā€™ve seen them too.

2. Irrelevant Content

Another issue I have with LinkedIn is the amount of irrelevant content that is being shared on the platform. From influencers trying to sell their courses to people posting about their weekend plans, itā€™s hard to find content that is truly relevant to my professional life. I donā€™t want to see what you had for breakfast. I donā€™t want to see your cat (even if itā€™s cute and fluffyā€¦ I love cats šŸˆ)

I want to see content that is usefulā€¦ content that will help me grow my career.

3. Lack of engagement

One reason to dislike LinkedIn is the lack of engagement on the platform. With so much content being shared, it can be difficult for users to get their posts seen and engage with their audience. This can make the platform feel less valuable and less engaging.

4. Endorsements and Skills

Some users dislike the endorsement and skills feature on LinkedIn, as it can feel like a popularity contest and not an accurate representation of someoneā€™s professional abilities.

5. Men / Women: the battle for influence is unequal on LinkedIn

According to recent research, women in general, and younger women (18-30) in particular, garner significantly more reactions on LinkedIn than their male counterparts.

Iā€™m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. Iā€™m not sexist. Iā€™m just sharing my thoughtsā€¦

Is it the algorithm? Is it the content? Is it the audience? I donā€™t know. But itā€™s definitely something to think about.

Final Thoughts

This is just a rant. Iā€™m thinking out loudā€¦ Iā€™m sure there are many people who love LinkedInā€¦ and thatā€™s great. LinkedIn is a great platform for many people. But itā€™s not for me.

We say in Arabic: ā€œŲ“Ų± Ł„Ų§ŲØŲÆ Ł…Ł†Ł‡ā€ ā€¦ which means ā€œNecessary evilā€. šŸ˜ˆ

I found a subreddit called r/LinkedInCringe. I think itā€™s hilarious. šŸ˜‚

If you disagree with me, please let me know in the comments šŸ‘‡ Iā€™m curious to know what you think.