Use Linkedin for its Intended Purpose.

The halls of the Australian Parliament have been rocked by allegations of the prevalence of sexual misconduct, bullying and gaslighting against women in recent weeks. 

This is not a new issue in society. But the sheer enormity that it is occurring so rampantly in the upper echelons amongst the leaders of our country, inside the walls of our esteemed Parliament House, is frankly abhorrent.

Let’s switch our attention back over here to Linkedin.

A few months ago I decided to focus on building my network and ramp up my content and engagement on this fantastic platform. As we know, Linkedin is an invaluable tool for informed professionals to connect and share.

As part of my business plan, I am seeking to engage with like-minded professionals with similar target audiences. And as a result of growing my network, I also receive a steady number of connection requests daily.

Most I accept after a quick profile review, and I try to send a personal “thank you” message. However, some requests have made me pause. Here’s where my intuition kicks in with a nagging feeling, often proving my instincts correct.

The messages often start with “Hi, how are you today?”. Seemingly innocent enough, right? I do err on the face of caution and politely respond, but very soon it’s followed up with another message like “You are very pretty. How do I meet you?”.

First and foremost, Linkedin is NOT a dating site.

Whilst the Block filter is at my fingertips (and I’m grateful to have it), why do I have to constantly be wary of subversive interactions? I am not alone. This issue of suggested sexual innuendo and misconduct is also rampantly occurring here, on Linkedin - to your sister, your wife, your daughter, your mother. 

Both women AND men use Linkedin for the SAME purposes. We are equal in our desire to be perceived with respect and integrity; to communicate and share knowledge and information without being objectified.

Recently I have joined an amazing networking community, one of the biggest in Australia, if not globally. This network is bursting with like-minded individuals, both women and men, who are seeking to engage in a professional manner.

So why I am I writing this article? Because I believe that some people using LinkedIn do not understand the parameters, and many would likely comply if we, as a community, band together to help them. 

Teach. Communicate. Demonstrate. Applaud using Linkedin for its intended purpose.

LinkedIn is a professional platform, not a dating site.

“Linkedin - Connecting the world's professionals to make them more productive and successful.”