LINKEDIN'S FLAWS AND ALL

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LinkedIn's Journey


LinkedIn was created by Reid Hoffman, Allen Blue, Konstantin Guericke, Eric Ly, and Jean-Luc Vaillant in December 2002 and launched in May 2003 (Reynolds, 2023). The idea for LinkedIn came about when Reid Hoffman wanted to create an online network for professionals to connect and share information. LinkedIn first gained popularity among professionals in the tech industry and gradually expanded to other sectors. Over the years, LinkedIn has continued to evolve and introduce new features to enhance the user experience. Now, it has millions of users worldwide with most of them being between the ages of 27-42 (Gilbert, 2023):




My LinkedIn Journey


I was 15 when I first signed on to LinkedIn but I had known about it long before that. At the beginning of secondary school, I started researching job vacancies online and one of the jobs directed me to LinkedIn.



The first I used this platform, it was easy to use as I had gotten accustomed to the basic layout of social media interfaces.

I was always afraid to apply for jobs there because I thought, “What if I actually got a callback and they found out I was underage?”

I decided to finally use the platform during my second year at university because I went from a full-time to a part-time student. School was starting to become monogamous and I always wanted to get money for my efforts. It was about time I did.


My Problem with LinkedIn


I think the idea of having a more convenient channel to apply for jobs is a great idea but LinkedIn does not serve that purpose, at least not locally. I do like the app. I’ve tried applying to international jobs and have received callbacks from but locally, it just does not work. Trinidad is still a very traditional country so I don’t think this app works for job hunters, at least not for me. When I got job callbacks, it was usually because I handed in physical applications.


LinkedIn's Personal Benefits


Although all of this is true, I still use the platform to:

  •  Apply for Jobs: This app is faster than traditional application processes so I still hold on to hope that local companies will call back.

  •  Keep up with Old Friends: I often see old classmates or friends on LinkedIn when I search for them online. Maybe it’s because LinkedIn requires your government name, unlike other apps.

  •   Follow Companies: It is always nice to keep up with companies I’m familiar with as it allows me to see what they are currently looking for in candidates. There are a few companies I dream of working at in the future so I create a little checklist of all the certificates and years of experience I’ll need to stand a chance at applying.

  • School Projects: There are many instances where I’ve had to conduct research on a company or create a job advertisement/resume/cover letter on behalf of a company for a project. LinkedIn, after Facebook, is the app I use to get the correct information I need.


LinkedIn's Specialities





Now LinkedIn is not the only online job-searching platform. There is Indeed, Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter. LinkedIn is unlike any other social media app because it allows companies to share various types of content. LinkedIn is an app where businesses can look for job candidates and chat with users like a regular social media app as well. 






LinkedIn also allows job hunters to compare their resumes to others in the field. Although this could be the cause of unfair comparison, it is always useful to know what you are up against in the job market to be more prepared and get more qualifications, skills or experience if needed.










If users wish to, they can enhance their skills on LinkedIn and add those new qualifications to their profile for the public to see. LinkedIn Learning is the official name of the feature which offers courses to develop soft and technical skills (Trent-Gurbuz, 2020).



LinkedIn's Corporate Uses



Business owners can use this platform to:

-       Obtain a larger pool of job candidates: Companies can add LinkedIn as one of their main recruitment channels when looking for a new employee. Human Resource Management has exemplified how important it is to use recruitment methods that will make the company’s target demographic more visible to them. Don’t believe me? The numbers talk for themselves:




- Observe what other companies are looking for in job candidates: Many companies have outdated expectations about job roles. It could help to look at the job requirements and person specifications other companies in the sector use to find their perfect candidate. It is also important for companies to keep up-to-date on the layout and design of these job formats as other companies will have most likely done research on what draws candidates in. Here is an example of an idea-catching job advertisement posted by the Ministry of Labour:



-  Promote their brand: Many companies like Nestle, Red Bull and IBM use this app to showcase their brand personality by posting videos and messages which inform views of their value and goals (Ba, 2022). Here is a Red Bull video posted on LinkedIn which captures the adrenaline rush you get from sipping on their drink:




So it is safe to say that LinkedIn could be very useful if companies allowed it to. Like any other platform, users can connect with each other, however, there is a more professional twist on things. If you do not have an account already, consider joining. Maybe it will be more beneficial to you than it was to me. 



References 


Ba, T. (2022, November 22). The 10 Most Followed LinkedIn Pages, and How They Succeed. LinkedIn Pages. https://www.linkedin.com/business/marketing/blog/linkedin-pages/most-followed-pages-on-linkedin

Gilbert, N. (2023). 111 LinkedIn Statistics You Should Know in 2023: Users, Job-Seekers & Recruiters. FinancesOnline. https://financesonline.com/linkedin-statistics/

Reynolds, R. (2023, July 28). The Complete History of LinkedIn: Everything You Need to Know. History-Computer. https://history-computer.com/the-complete-history-of-linkedin/

Trent-Gurbuz, C. J. (2020, November 12). What to Know About LinkedIn Learning. U.S. News & World Report. https://www.usnews.com/education/learn-linkedin-learning-guide


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