ANOTHER REASON TO JOIN LINKEDIN. OR NOT? -PART I

There have been many articles on the “need” to join the LinkedIn community, (some from which this article is being written), yet I feel the need to share my opinion on the matter.

I joined LinkedIn because I wanted to explore, to meet people, to learn things, and to feel I was part of the elderly in community (I had heard that it was a place for grownups and I always wanted to feel grownup ??). After my first few weeks of navigating LinkedIn, I lost interest. Why? I felt I wasn’t ready for LinkedIn. I felt I had nothing to show, compared to the profile other people had built. I went back to using Facebook and WhatsApp, for that is where I could shine.

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It wasn’t until recently that I took a preliminary data science course that I became active on LinkedIn again. I had to start publishing articles. After my first two, I begun realizing the reasons for which I first joined. Publishing articles led me to reading more to be able to make the next better than the first. I read articles from LinkedIn and Medium and other websites and that increased my learning scope. I became very active on LinkedIn, constantly checking my notifications to see if I had another read or comment or like on my article. The idle times between comment checks was spent reading other feeds. Unconsciously, I was exploring the worlds of other people. Gradually, I fell in love and I was on my LinkedIn app almost all the time. I begun following a few people, some who were very inspiring. Then I went on to sending invites to people I’d never thought I could speak to in person. It was always a joy to see them accept my invitation to connect. Every other comment on an article gave more confidence. It felt good to be recognized. I wanted more.

I took to “pimping” my profile. Honors, skills, awards, grades, courses, etc. Every little thing counted. I just wanted more profile views, and I got just that. “… viewed your profile”. Words that made me leap for joy. I was becoming part of the community I wanted.

I had got what I wanted from joining LinkedIn and at a point, I believed LinkedIn was a community that everyone had to be a part of. I would feel down when people said they were not part of the community or they did not see the need nor had they the want to join the community.

I had found a powerful tool – LinkedIn – and I wanted every one in my circle to have a share. I am one to question my decision when people close to me do not usually follow suit. I wondered if being here was the right thing. So, here’s what I did.