Commentary: It wasn't Piyush Gupta. But it was very LinkedIn
SINGAPORE: Every day, millions of LinkedIn users post stories and photos, hoping to impress future bosses, recruiters and clients with their personal brand.
After all, it is no longer enough to put up your resume on the world's largest professional network. Users are expected to regularly showcase their work achievements, societal impact and important people they know.
But when does it go too far?
On May 19, a LinkedIn post appeared under user Janney Hujic's name showing a photo of herself with a man tagged as former DBS CEO Piyush Gupta. The post claimed Ms Hujic had bumped into Mr Gupta at a cafe in Bali and they spoke for a few minutes.
The post also claimed that Mr Gupta had praised the all-women expedition to Mongolia Ms Hujic was organising to raise funds for the Goh Chok Tong Enable Fund.
Then, the real Mr Gupta commented in the LinkedIn post, 'Sorry to disillusion you. That isn't me!'
It turned out the man is a 58-year-old teacher who lives in Bali. To make matters worse, SG Enable said that her company was not an authorised fundraiser for the Goh Chok Tong Enable Fund.
LinkedIn users had a field day. Some criticised Ms Hujic and others posted photos of themselves with the real Mr Gupta. One user wrote: 'This is peak LinkedIn', alluding to the hubris and humblebragging that plague the platform.
The post in question was left up for days before Ms Hujic's account was deleted on May 24. Ms Hujic has since alleged that the post , who demanded money to remove it.
LINKEDIN TACTICS THAT MAKE ME WINCE
But even before the facts came to light, I found the post cringe-inducing with dramatic sentences such as:
'What struck me wasn't just the legendary career - transforming DBS into a global digital banking leader - but the humility and presence with which he carried himself. No entourage. No airs. Just quiet conviction.'
The post promoted the expedition by borrowing Mr Gupta's fame: 'He smiled and said, 'What an incredible opportunity - for women of any age - to step outside the office and into something truly meaningful.''
Do people speak like that?
I get it. It is hard to stand out on a platform with over a billion users, including heavyweights like Bill Gates who has 38 million LinkedIn fans. But in the wanton pursuit of LinkedIn fame, many users resort to content tactics that beggar belief.
For example, there are LinkedIn influencers who like to boast about making a lot of money.
The pitch often goes like this: 'Here is how I went from US$100 to US$1 million in one year in my new online business'.
Or 'You can become rich like me too, if you take up my course on how to become a LinkedIn content creator.'
Initially, such posts can inspire awe and envy, especially for those new to LinkedIn. After a while, the same spiel appears too frequently and you realise these people often have little else to offer.
Then, there are those who keep posting irrelevant selfies. LinkedIn's algorithm appears to boost our visibility when we put up photos of ourselves, but some users go overboard – all their posts contain well-photoshopped selfies, regardless of the content.
We already encounter too many pointless selfies on Instagram and TikTok. Please don't do this to LinkedIn.
Finally, there are the insensitive posts from people who survived a retrenchment exercise. Layoffs have become more common, and people are less shy to share how they have been retrenched. But it feels inappropriate when their unscathed colleague writes on LinkedIn about how sad they feel about the layoffs, what a loss of talent has occurred, and they promise to be a pillar of support for those who need it.
In my opinion, if you are really sincere about helping your retrenched colleagues, you should reach out to them directly.
NO SHORTCUTS IN PERSONAL BRANDING
Despite all the cringey things that people do on LinkedIn, I am still a big advocate for the platform's benefits in providing job and business opportunities. It has helped me to land several jobs, and it is a constant source of learning.
Personal branding is about creating authenticity and appeal, and you can do it without causing any facepalms.
First, always write posts that offer value to your network. It is perfectly fine to post the accolades that you have garnered at work (as long as they are true!), but we don't get awards every week and you don't want every post to across as a brag.
To have enough interesting content to keep engaging your network, strive to share valuable information and learnings - lifehacks, insights into solving particular problems, or the latest news that is relevant to your industry.
Second, don't compare. It is too easy to feel pressured by what others do on LinkedIn.
Whether it is taking wefies with famous people or showing photos from their latest stage appearances, this can turn into a game of one-upmanship.
Rather than feel FOMO (the fear of missing out), focus on improving yourself and sharing what you have learned in the process. Or talk about the wins of your colleagues and friends – it is always better to praise others rather than yourself.
Finally, spend more time networking instead of writing posts. While it is exciting to receive likes and positive comments on your LinkedIn posts, it is even better to connect with users directly and ask them out for coffee.
LinkedIn started out in 2003 as a platform to connect businesspeople, but in recent years, it has evolved into a social media platform. Many users, including myself, probably spend too much time reading and writing posts when we should be building real-world relationships.
So, if you see me in a cafe, let's have a real chat - no need to post a picture of us on LinkedIn.
Ian Yong Hoe Tan is a strategic communication lecturer at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University. He has more than two decades of experience working in the media and technology industries. He is a LinkedIn Top Voice and has spent 15 years on the platform.
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