Is LinkedIn Toxic Positivity Time

LinkedIn: the New Cult of Work?

There was a time when LinkedIn was quite simple. It served as our streamlined online CV, a place to showcase qualifications and experience sans the personality overload found on other social platforms. But somewhere along the line, things took a strange turn. A recent visit to the site reveals a world where motivational tropes abound, personal lives are laid bare, and every user seems intent on transforming themselves into a polished brand. Has this professional network turned into a peculiar cult of work?

Take a moment to scroll through your LinkedIn feed, and you'll likely encounter what I dub "LinkedIn-ese." It's a language filled with overused buzzwords like "disruptive," "passionate," and "thought leader." Everyone boasts results-oriented mindsets and, of course, the mysterious "integrated solutions." Then there's the influx of intensely personal narratives: tales of overcoming professional failure peppered with newfound wisdom, often concluding with a boast about landing a job at a tech giant.

This shift had a clear impact on my friend, an intelligent and accomplished woman recently seeking a career change. Her background is wonderfully diverse: she's worked market stalls, trained as a counsellor, and now aspires to move into HR. On paper, it's a trajectory that demonstrates adaptability and a wealth of transferable skills. But LinkedIn's rigid structure doesn't cater to such nuance. She struggled to force her experiences into its neat timeline format and became self-conscious about gaps or roles that didn't translate neatly into monetary "achievements." Worst of all, watching peers exaggerate their pasts and embrace self-promotion made her question her genuine talents.

Linkedin’s Transformation

The problem with LinkedIn's transformation is subtle, yet pervasive. It's not merely that the platform is now cluttered with questionable content. The true risk lies in its impact on how we measure our worth. When everyone's a thought leader, boasting vaguely about "opportunities" they can't disclose, does genuine expertise lose value? When jobs postings explicitly encourage applying via LinkedIn, are we coerced into playing this performative game, even if it clashes with our true selves?

This relentless emphasis on self-promotion and manufactured positivity has broader implications. It echoes the pressures seen elsewhere in the digital world - Instagram's filtered lives, Twitter's outrage battles - leading some to argue that all social media erodes authenticity. But LinkedIn's focus on professional identity makes it especially potent.

The boundaries between work and self are blurring, perhaps irretrievably. LinkedIn encourages this fusion, with users sharing posts about weekend triumphs and family milestones alongside corporate jargon. But isn't there a danger in this, an unhealthy encroachment of work mindset into spaces traditionally reserved for relaxation and connection? A recent study by [Add name of University/Research group] found that over 60% of active LinkedIn users checked the platform for updates during evenings or holidays, suggesting a difficulty in switching off from the constant pressure to perform.

Hustle Culture

Some might say this is just how things are now, that professional life demands a constant online presence. However, shouldn't we question that narrative? Can we reclaim some sense of personal space not dominated by career anxieties? The glorification of hustle culture – where relentless work is worn as a badge of honor – is surely detrimental in the long run. Burnout rates are rising, with a 2023 study suggesting a direct correlation between LinkedIn usage intensity and reported work-related stress.

What's the antidote? Maybe it starts with reclaiming some honesty on the platform. Let's ditch the clichés in favour of real challenges faced, messy career paths, and even healthy admissions of doubt. How about this instead of the usual LinkedIn post:

"Feeling the overwhelm today, project's behind, client communications a mess – but I'm going to take an actual lunch break and come back with a clearer head. Sometimes prioritising a bit of sanity is the best way to get back on track."

Wouldn't it be liberating to see people discussing boredom at work, or even admitting that a supposedly life-changing role turned out to be a terrible fit? A dose of realness could puncture some of the performative posturing on LinkedIn, and perhaps make us all feel less pressured to pretend we have everything figured out.

Of course, this shift takes courage. In a job market where self-aggrandizement seems the norm, honesty might feel risky. But I would argue it's riskier to completely buy into the performative culture LinkedIn encourages. We should all consider what we want  our relationship with work, and thus our representation of it online, to truly be.

Effective Networking

This isn't to say LinkedIn can't be a valuable tool. Used mindfully, it remains an effective way to network, discover opportunities, and share genuinely interesting industry insights. The question is, how can savvy users navigate its evolving landscape without losing a sense of personal authenticity? Here are a few thoughts:

Be a mindful consumer: Don't take everything you see on LinkedIn at face value. That glowing post about career nirvana? There may be a less glamorous story behind it. Just like Instagram's filters, remember that LinkedIn posts often present a polished, curated version of reality.

Prioritise real connections: Beyond the bragging rights of having a vast network, focus on meaningful interactions. Engage with work from people you genuinely find interesting, or offer support to someone starting out. Quality connections trump the inflated follower counts that some users seem obsessed with.

Set your own boundaries: Decide how much time you'll dedicate to the platform. If scrolling through it leaves you feeling inadequate or burnt out, take a step back. Remember, you don't have to be "always on" to be an engaged professional. Similarly, don't feel pressured to blend your personal and professional identities to an inauthentic degree.

Use alternative platforms: LinkedIn is not the only way to showcase your work. Consider creating an online portfolio or blog to share your expertise. These offer greater freedom to shape your narrative in a way that feels true to you. A carefully crafted 'About Me' section can convey more personality than a rigid LinkedIn profile.

Reclaim your narrative: Update your profile, yes, but don't feel obligated to frame everything as a  quantifiable achievement. Your skills section could include volunteering activities, passions, or even the fact that you're a brilliant baker if it brings you joy and hints at what kind of colleague you would be.

Work Life Balance

This leads to a broader question: what would we, as a society of professionals, like LinkedIn to be? Wouldn't it be more beneficial if it championed diverse paths instead of a narrow definition of success? Could it support work/life balance instead of fuelling the glorification of overwork?

Perhaps the change starts with each of us. We have the power to be discerning users, to call out cringe-worthy self-promotion, and to celebrate moments of doubt as much as moments of triumph. After all, our careers are complex and ever-evolving, just like ourselves. LinkedIn could be a richer platform if it reflected that.

This shift towards celebrating the nuanced realities of professional lives would likely benefit recruiters and employers, too. Let's be honest – the self-aggrandizing posts that clog up LinkedIn tell hiring managers very little about a candidate's true potential. Everyone claims to be a "results-driven rockstar" nowadays, but that doesn't illuminate skills, personality, or work ethic. Wouldn't they rather see evidence of resilience, problem-solving in the face of setbacks, or a willingness to learn?

Slowly Catching Up

Some businesses are already catching on to this idea. Forward-thinking companies might begin to encourage a different type of LinkedIn post in the interview process. Instead of asking potential hires to regurgitate tired buzzwords, they might propose prompts like:

"Share a time a project went spectacularly wrong, and what you learned from it."

"Describe a situation where you disagreed with a team leader – how was it resolved?"

"Talk about a skill you're actively trying to improve and how you're tackling it."

These offer a far more illuminating glimpse into a candidate's work style than their ability to brag in generic "LinkedInese." It demonstrates a willingness on the company's part to hire well-rounded individuals with a capacity for growth, not just those who can recite the right slogans.

The change doesn't need to be drastic. We're not suggesting turning LinkedIn into group therapy (although some of the content does veer in that direction!). Rather, it's about striking a healthier balance. We can still use the platform to celebrate wins, seek advice, and connect with colleagues in our field. But alongside those things, there should be room for the complexities and setbacks that are integral to any working life.

The Number’s Game

There's also power in numbers. If enough users embrace a more genuine and grounded approach on the platform, the pressure for others to conform may lessen. Perhaps "passionate" could be replaced with "engaged," "disruptive" with "seeking new solutions," and "thought leader" could be swapped out for...well, a genuine description of what we actually do.

None of this means we have to start sharing every intimate detail of our work lives. A degree of professionalism is certainly appropriate on LinkedIn. However, that professionalism shouldn't necessitate an erasure of our humanity, or the need to constantly project an image of relentless, infallible success.

So, where does this leave us? Ultimately, LinkedIn is what we make of it. We can choose to perpetuate the cult of work, where personal value is measured in empty likes and exaggerated titles. Or, we can shift the culture towards something more sustainable, more honest, and ultimately more useful to everyone.

Here's a challenge to take forward. Next time you log on to LinkedIn, try these practices:

Instead of a boastful post, share a useful resource: Did an article resonate with you, or did you attend a truly helpful webinar? Pass that knowledge forward instead of focusing solely on showcasing your own awesomeness.

Offer support, not a sales pitch: If you see someone searching for a job, offer genuine advice or connections instead of merely dropping a link to your business with the hope of personal gain.

Congratulate someone publicly: Did a colleague get a promotion, or a former classmate complete a challenging project? Celebrate them sincerely (no need to weave it into your own "personal brand" narrative).

Start a conversation about work-life balance: Do you have tips? Struggles? A frank discussion could help normalize the idea that we can be ambitious and dedicated to our careers without sacrificing everything else.

Log off: Consciously take time away from the platform. Read a book, meet a friend for coffee in real life, or try a new recipe. Remind yourself that your worth extends far beyond the world of LinkedIn.

Will this revolutionise the platform overnight? Unlikely. But every individual shift away from shallow self-promotion contributes to a healthier online ecosystem. Let's redefine what professional success looks like on LinkedIn. Let's prove there's room for expertise, yes, but also for humility, the occasional failure, and even the odd gap in that career timeline to tend to personal passions or navigate life's unexpected curveballs.

After all, the work should fit into our lives, not the other way around. Perhaps then, LinkedIn might just become a bit more useful, and a lot more human.