Social media is a place where we can loosen up a little. You can post jokes, silly pictures, or whatever on Instagram, X, Facebook and more. Unlike most social media sites, our sponsor, LinkedIn, is pretty buttoned-up.
You always need to put your best foot forward. After all, it’s where you connect with coworkers and find new careers. That means you should avoid being too personal since that can damage your credibility.
But that’s just one of many common LinkedIn flubs. You may be guilty of a few more subtle errors without knowing it. Avoid these LinkedIn mistakes — they might hurt you in the long run.
Error No. 1: The net you’re casting is too wide
Filmmakers design blockbusters to appeal to a broad audience. They want as many warm bodies in the seats as possible, so they avoid plotlines that may alienate audience members. The plot is all very general: The good guy fights the bad guy, the bad guy loses, they all live happily ever after, and so on.
Your LinkedIn profile doesn’t have to follow general guidelines like that. You want to appeal to niche audiences.
Tailor your LinkedIn page to show people you’re a respectable professional in your industry. If you’re too vague and don’t include personal details, you may have general appeal … but lack individual distinction.
Bottom line: When job hunting, you want to stand out. Emphasize the experiences that make you different. Cast too wide a net, and the best fish will slip away.
Error No. 2: You say ‘yes’ to every friend request
You may get overly excited by the influx of friend invites when new to LinkedIn. You may think a surplus of connections shows recruiters you’re social and have a vast network. However, if they go through your contacts and find obvious scam accounts, that could be a strike against you.
Indiscriminate connections can be tempting, but inflating your numbers makes it more difficult for recruiters to understand who you are. They want to understand what drives you, which helps them determine if you’re a good fit for a role.
For example, if you’re a journalist and have 100 friends in the construction industry, they may wonder what’s going on. Are you considering a career shift? Are you more interested in carpentry than fact-checking?
Bottom line: Befriend professionals you know and those you want to learn from. Find people with potential within your field and those with many LinkedIn connections in your specific industry.
Error No. 3: You’re underselling yourself
Sure, you want to avoid showboating. No one likes someone who toots their own horn and constantly comments about qualifications. But don’t be too humble.
Remember that you’re a professional who has earned all the accolades you’ve received. You’ve worked hard, and there’s nothing arrogant about stating your credentials and experiences.
Bottom line: Emphasize your career development and explain your progress in each job. For instance, list all your positions at the same company since this shows how you grow and succeed in your workplace. Also, don’t just list jobs — detail your work experience and responsibilities.
Error No. 4: Your focus is too narrow
You may think, “OK, LinkedIn is a job site. Therefore, I should only focus on my jobs.” Doing that paints an inaccurate picture of yourself, robbing recruiters of fully understanding your character.
Take a step back and think of yourself as a recruiter would see you. Freelance gigs, volunteer jobs and certifications can all paint a complete picture of who you are as an individual. Include them so recruiters can see the whole package you have to offer.
Brush up on your work experience, too. Don’t say things like “My responsibilities included …” or “Each day, I did this…” because they come across as stale. Emphasize your actions with solid verbs like “I grew, I managed, I led, I created, I progressed” and so on.
Bottom line: You’re a well-rounded person, not a robot. Your profile should reflect each experience that made you a better worker — even if they aren’t jobs. For instance, if you’re a seamstress and volunteer to sew free costumes for local theater, include that! Unpaid experiences can help recruiters understand your skills and what drives you.
Error No. 5: You aren’t writing with the audience in mind
It’s one thing to talk about your achievements. It’s another to give people looking over your profile a good impression. When listing skills, try to go beyond the bare minimum.
Give readers an idea of how your accomplishments improved your workplace. Sure, you’re an individual, but recruiters want to know how you work in a team. Think of yourself as a spice; you’re just one part of the soup, but you elevate it to new levels.
Bottom line: Clarify how you made your employer’s life easier. Give specific examples of times you’ve stepped up to initiate change.
Bonus: Hiring? Don’t make this big mistake
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