If I Told You I Could Push Your Posts onto a Pulse Feature Channel Every Time...

...would you pay me from several hundred to several thousand dollars to do so?

If your first impulse is to say yes, then you should take a moment to consider why you would.  Even assuming I was being truthful, and could deliver as promised, what would be your objective(s) in paying me to do so?  Stronger branding for your business? Increased sales? Heightened professional profile? To impress potential recruiters and in doing so, find a job?

The monetization of desperation...

LinkedIn has developed a large membership, reputedly numbering more than 380 million. At the same time, it's created a vast market by nurturing a social media sub-culture in which "personal branding" and "self-promotion" are not only key concepts, but widely touted and accepted as keystones of a new Faith.

This new Faith holds that, if you make yourself sufficiently visible with just the right personal profile, a properly honed resume, the perfect self-promotional "elevator pitch", and single-minded dedication to networking, liking, commenting, and ultimately publishing on the LI Pulse platform, you will be able to scale the beanstalk to the land of the success giants, grab the golden goose, and live happily ever after. Unfortunately, fairy tales rarely, if ever come to pass in the real world.

I think it's safe to say that the number of people seeking jobs far exceeds the number of available employment opportunities. The number of consultants chasing assignments far exceeds the number of potential clients. The number of would-be entrepreneurs far exceeds the number of genuine funding opportunities. And so on, and so forth.  All of which leads, in to many cases, to  disappointment, then deepening frustration, and finally, desperation. 

From that desperation, a new market has emerged, one that perceives an urgent need to seek help in doing what they are told by the social media sub-culture they have to do, if they want to succeed. And there are now all manner of practitioners of resume writing, profile polishing, network building, job search advising, life coaching, and motivational improvement, offering the desperate a personal-branding makeover. For a fee, of course.  

In the eyes of the beholder...

On top of that, the Faith has added the tenet that self-publishing is an essential ingredient in the pursuit of personal branding and the perfection of one's promotional image. Which means that pressure to achieve visible popularity on the publishing platform has grown ever stronger, ever more irresistible. So much so that the desperate have demonstrated a willingness to plagiarize and otherwise misuse the work of others, even to pay those who offer services that really amount to little more than a gaming the system. For a fee, of course.

But visibility is not the same as recognition...

The big con is that, even if all the self-proclaimed gurus of this and that could, in fact, do what they claim to be able to do, they can do no more than simply create a fa?ade ― and moreover, one that isn't even portable. The tactics involved can't make you any smarter, or turn you into a better speaker with more personal presence. The tactics can't make you a better writer, or a more erudite thinker. Granted, the tactics might be able to  make you more visible, but they can't make you more noticeable or memorable.  Only you can do that.

You can read more and reflect more on what you've read. You can take a couple of courses in writing and maybe even logic. You can practice speaking and staying calm when you do. You can build your skills for conversation and exchange. In other words, you can hone the skills that improve your presence and make you more memorable. And the only significant fee you'll pay is some effort and sweat. ― Phil Friedman

Author's Note:  If you've found this post to be of value, you might want to read some of my other writing. The following samples are, I think, of general interest.

Three Points of Advice to My Teenage Daughter

What I Learned About Entrepreneurs from the Founder of Monster.com

So Why is Plagiarism Such a Big Deal?

About me, Phil Friedman:   With 30 some years background in the marine industry, I've worn numerous hats — as a yacht designer, boatbuilder, marine operations and business manager, marine industry consultant, marine marketing and communications specialist, boating magazine writer and editor, yacht surveyor, and marine industry educator. I am also trained and experienced in interest-based negotiation and mediation.

In a previous life, I taught logic and philosophy at university.

If you'd  like to read more of what I write on a regular basis, either connect with me, Phil Friedman, on LinkedIn, or click the [FOLLOW] button on this page. As a writer-friend of mine says, you can always change your mind later.

As well, feel free to "like" and "share" this post and my other LinkedIn articles — whether on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook. I ask only that you credit me properly as the author.

Finally, whether you like this post or not, your questions, your comments,
suggestions, and criticisms are always welcome. They will be treated with respect and answered. Please post them in the discussion thread for this article.

Text Copyright ? 2015 by Phil Friedman — All Rights Reserved
Image Credits: FreeDigitalPhotos.com

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The (optional-to-read) pitch: As a professional writer, editor, university educator, and speaker, with more than 1,000 print and digital publications, I've recently launched an online program for enhancing your expository writing:

learn2engage — With Confidence. My mission is to help writers and would-be writers improve the clarity of their thought and writing, master the logic of discussion, and strengthen their ability to deal confidently with criticism and disagreement. For more information contact [email protected]. 

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