Three arguments for adding “dad” (or “mom”) on your LinkedIn profile and why it is important

How many times have you heard that LinkedIn is for professional use only and should not be used like Facebook? I bet many times. Me too. LinkedIn was created as a corporate recruitment platform. Facebook, on other hand, was specifically designed as a place for people to share their private life. In short it means, no for holiday pictures on LinkedIn, even if you are a swimsuit designer. But…

Now, LinkedIn boasts many features similar to Facebook, including status updates, blogging capabilities, and private messages. However, there are still plenty of comments under some posts underlining that this content is inappropriate for a professional network. Seeing the community scrutiny over posts that are personal, I had my doubts about sharing the biggest achievement of my private life. Not that I will lose followers (I’m still far from being an influencer in this online world), but I could damage my image as a trustworthy professional.

In March 2022 I got the life long job title “dad”, a position that I could not turn my back on. Well, there are some “professionals” who quit, but I do not plan to give up on the best job ever created. Being a proud father in the digital age, together with my partner, we decided to keep our baby boy’s identity far away from the Internet. If you read Jaron Lanier, Cathay O’Neil or Joe Toscano’s books you would keep the identity of your baby as long as possible from social media algorithms. Until today, we have not posted his pictures on any social media platforms. And yes, it makes us feel like celebrities somehow, but nobody wants to pay for his photos (yet).

Saying all of that, five months after the birth of our little one I changed my LinkedIn profile headline to “Director of International Development. Stanford GSB. Running and cooking dad”. Why did I do it? What on earth made me brag about being a dad on such a professional network as LinkedIn? Putting aside the obvious, being crazy in love and wanting to show off, becoming a dad actually increased my professional value overnight. And yours too, if you happen to be a happy parent. 

My work attitude and job motivation changed forever after becoming a dad. I strongly believe that it changes for most men who go through a dad transition, from being a reckless business shark to a well rounded and thoughtful leader with the bigger picture in mind. Companies benefit from this dad transition as well, and I will tell you why.

Dads are more efficient at work 

Before my boy came to this world, my cousin who is a dad of two said “the birth of a child gives a huge boost to the way you work”. I did not know what it meant, but now I know. With a small one at home, I am anxious to finish my work in time. I am better able to tell the difference between major and minor issues, and I do not waste time on unproductive discussions. Am I not devoting enough of myself to the good of the company by avoiding overtime? No, I just become more productive and prioritize my time better. I cut through the corporate ‘nonsense’ quickly. Having a baby made me very aware of how valuable my time is and where I wanted to place my efforts more strategically.

Dads have a completely different notion of responsibility

Some studies reveal that men have an 11 year lag behind women when it comes to maturing. I do not know how far we can trust these researchers, but the stereotype of an immature and irresponsible male is not a new one. This can change overnight when a man becomes a dad. My pre-dad life was about me and my career. With a son in my arms, I now have a completely different notion of responsibility. It is no longer all about me, but my son’s life and his future. Companies benefit from this enhanced notion of responsibility in their employees, who see a bigger picture and no longer think only about themselves.

Dads have increased intrinsic motivation

Many people think that what motivates them the most in life is money, but money is not the end product that they want. For example, people want to drive more luxurious cars because they want to feel good. I also switched jobs because I wanted to feel better thanks to what money brings. It is about the feelings that money can bring. Being a dad requires a lot of love but also, let’s face it, money. Not for my new car but for daycare, a bike, education, and the best of everything for the little one. For that reason I am willing to go the extra mile to excel in my job and secure our future. And to be crystal clear, money will never replace parental love.

Fatherhood matters, parenthood matters. It changes us forever in every aspect of our lives, and that includes our professional careers too. I am not an experienced dad yet, and while writing this post my baby boy is not even one year old, but I already see how big an impact he has made on the way I work: The positive impact of being more efficient, responsible and motivated. 

If at least one of you after reading this article will change their LinkedIn profile informing the world that you are a dad (or a mom), to me that would be better than a thousand likes under this article.

Did you post becoming a parent on social media? Are you a dad or mom on LinkedIn? I am curious about your opinions. Let me know in the comments! 

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This article is a part of a mini series written during my 2-months parental leave. The topics covered during this time period are not the usual ones as I write about banking, technology, and startups. Feel free to comment or reach out to me directly with any questions. Please note that this article expresses my personal opinion and is not sponsored by anyone. It does not necessarily represent the view of my employer.