8 Strategies To Navigate Your LinkedIn Emotional Roller Coaster Ride

LinkedIn can be a blessing or a curse when you’re looking for your next opportunity.

While LinkedIn can be a great resource for networking, building your personal brand and finding job opportunities, it can also be upsetting to check your feed constantly filled with stories of people getting laid off, sharing their new job opportunities, and/or your own frustration with companies who are looking for a “unicorn” in this crazy job market. Applying for jobs posted on LinkedIn that have thousands of applications within hours can be very demotivating along with having FOMO from seeing pictures of other marketers at high-profile events like Cannes while you're home in your pajamas.

Many midlife marketers I’ve spoken to have purposely taken a break from LinkedIn even though they need to rely on it to figure out what’s next in their career.

It’s easy to fall into the LinkedIn rabbit hole comparing yourself to others and feeling like you’re falling behind or are just not good enough.

Here are 8 strategies to make LinkedIn a more positive and productive tool in your career transition while protecting your emotional well-being.

1. Set Boundaries:? Limit your LinkedIn usage to specific times of the day to avoid constant exposure to potentially upsetting content. Schedule dedicated times for networking and job searching to maintain a balanced routine.
2. Curate Your Feed:? Follow and connect with individuals and groups that provide positive, supportive, and relevant content. Unfollow or mute connections that frequently post content that triggers negative emotions.
3. Focus on Your Journey:? Remind yourself that everyone’s career path is unique. Avoid comparing your progress with others. Celebrate your own achievements and milestones, no matter how small they may seem.
4. Use LinkedIn Mindfully:? Engage with content that adds value to your career goals and personal development. Participate in discussions and share insights that showcase your expertise and passion.
5. Take Breaks When Needed:? Allow yourself to take breaks from LinkedIn if it becomes overwhelming. It’s okay to step back and recharge. Use this time to focus on offline activities that bring you joy and relaxation.
6. Leverage LinkedIn Features:? Use LinkedIn’s job search filters to find opportunities that match your skills and interests, minimizing exposure to irrelevant or stressful content. Join LinkedIn groups that are supportive and aligned with your career goals for a sense of community.
7. Engage with a Support Network:? Connect with a mentor or career coach who can provide guidance and support during your job search. Share your experiences and seek advice from peers who understand the challenges of midlife career transitions.
8. Maintain Perspective:? Keep in mind that LinkedIn often showcases highlight reels and not the full story of people’s careers. Focus on your personal growth and the steps you’re taking towards your next career opportunity.

Marni's Top 10 Favorite Marketing Jobs

Please check my LinkedIn profile activity daily for all of the job listings I share on an ongoing basis.

Cinnabon, Brand Marketing Manager

Inspire, Senior Manager, Biddable Media (Local Programmatic & Social)

MERGE, VP, Business Development Leader

New York Road Runners, Head of Studio

OverDrive, Integrated Marketing Specialist (Emerging Markets)

PepsiCo Foods, D3 Account Strategy Director (In-House Agency Opportunity)

Sedgwick, Director/Vice President Strategic Marketing, International Regions

Stride, Market Research Manager

The Conference Board, Marketing Manager, Sales Marketing

Wayne State University, Senior Associate Vice President, Marketing and Communications

About this Newsletter

As mentioned in Forbes , “A midlife crisis is defined as a period of emotional turmoil in middle age, around 40 to 60 years old, characterized by a strong desire for change.”? However, marketers begin their midlife crisis much earlier.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , the average age of a US marketing/advertising manager is 39.0, compared to 46.7 for all managerial roles.

While the marketing industry has responded to issues of gender, race, and sexual harassment, there continues to be no movement against ageism.? This issue has been swept under the rug, but it is very real.

When I was laid off from my job in advertising in my 30s, it was a dark and scary time.? I had no idea what was next for me and needed to figure out a way to reinvent myself.? I remember all of the people in my network who went out of their way to help me and those who let my emails go into “cyberspace”.? That experience made me realize how important it is to “pay it forward” to help other “midlife marketers” figure out what’s next in their career journey.? Life is too short to stay in a job that doesn’t align with your core values and connect to something greater than yourself.

This bi-weekly newsletter for “midlife marketers” (from new managers to senior leaders) has easy-to-read tips and actionable advice on ways to design your own career path, take your career to the next level and how to master the art of networking.? This newsletter will leverage my insights to help you navigate your career journey. Each issue will also include a curated list of job opportunities shared from my network of 7,600+ marketers.

• Find your ideal career: Discover ways to find your dream career that aligns with your values, strengths and passions.? Learn how to manage career transitions and leverage your transferable skills to design the life you want.
• The art of networking: Learn how to build and maintain authentic relationships over time to find hidden job opportunities.
• Hot career topics: including designing a portfolio career, setting boundaries, dealing with ageism, imposter syndrome, self-care during transition, and more!
• Curated list of my favorite marketing job opportunities

About Marni Gordon

Marni is passionate about paying it forward to help marketers who want to thrive in a career they love. Marni is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coaching Federation (ICF), a Certified Career and Executive Coach from New York University (NYU), and a Certified Group Coach from Group Coaching HQ (ICF Certified Program) with 25+ years of corporate marketing leadership experience. Marni has an extensive background creating community, networking, training individuals and groups, developing individuals in a variety of high-performance roles, and facilitating discussions to help clients uncover their own insights, action plans and accountability. Marni is a super connector and will help you become one too.