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Is Linkedin essential to climb up the career ladder? Do I need it?

I'm fully aware Linkedin is the norm in the career world, and aside from comically egotistical business people, I was wondering is Linkedin's role in helping people network and get better jobs as major as it's said to be?

To be honest, I'm a kinda a privacy-nut whose not fully in the deep end yet (vpns, decentralized OS on PC and phone, no google products, use friend or family when ordering things online, yada yada), or at least I wouldn't say I've breached the tin foil hat stage. The idea of just having my real name on a social media was already a turn-off, then giving my information to a website known for data-mining and selling to third parties and how Linkedin is now forcing you to verify (100% don't trust that third party not to store ID details) to use a lot of the useful features it's known for is why I've refused to get it for years.

However, the jobs and sectors I'm interested in aren't the type to pop up on major job sites, so I'm wondering if I don't really have much choice in getting Linkedin if I want a real chance. Stressin' me out lol

Curious to what other people's opinion on Linkedin and this is

Reply 1

How critical LinkedIn is to future employment varies vastly depending on your field in my opinion. Very few I know actually use it to find jobs, but use it more to find and discover people.

I'm planning to land a job in Investment Banking in the US, and over there networking makes up a huge part of the recruiting process. The best way to do it is to reach out to current employees, coffee chat them, and build connections you can then leverage. And where do you find these employees? LinkedIn. Ideally alumni, so you can then mention that you are part of the same fraternity or some other nonsense to increase your chances of them actually accepting your invitation.

If you are in a field where job sites don't have what you're looking for and the company's own website doesn't have all the job listings (which it should), you will probably need to rely on networking. Unless you know a friend who can talk to a friend of a friend and set you up, I would say LinkedIn is the place to be.

Reply 2

Original post
by marcus.0
How critical LinkedIn is to future employment varies vastly depending on your field in my opinion. Very few I know actually use it to find jobs, but use it more to find and discover people.
I'm planning to land a job in Investment Banking in the US, and over there networking makes up a huge part of the recruiting process. The best way to do it is to reach out to current employees, coffee chat them, and build connections you can then leverage. And where do you find these employees? LinkedIn. Ideally alumni, so you can then mention that you are part of the same fraternity or some other nonsense to increase your chances of them actually accepting your invitation.
If you are in a field where job sites don't have what you're looking for and the company's own website doesn't have all the job listings (which it should), you will probably need to rely on networking. Unless you know a friend who can talk to a friend of a friend and set you up, I would say LinkedIn is the place to be.

Ah I see... While the sector I'm heading towards isn't necessarily "business" (if that makes sense), you don't really see it online. I wish to work in a mortuary as a autopsy pathologist, but I'm also very much interested in embalming and, if I decide to take the autopsy career further later on, forensic pathology.
You don't really see that on job websites and whenever I looked in the past on guides giving tips into getting into this line of work, they were never very detailed and practically clueless on the beginning stages that even the career councilor I spoke to was stumped on how to give me advice, haha. I'm starting to worry that it's one of those jobs where connections are mandatory and I really will have to use linkedin and just have my name and details easily accessible online 💀

Have you used Linkedin to reach out to people you don't know, like alumni? It's probably my naivety talking, but the thought of messaging someone with the sole purpose of building connections sounds extremely awkward, as I also assume that people likely know you're just doing so for that reason

I hope the hunt goes well for you!

Reply 3

Definitely a very niche field...but I think networking could get you far. Just a quick call to talk about how they got into the field, any tips, etc.

I've reached out to alumni before, yes. Networking is awkward as you say in the fact that both sides know what you're asking and why you're asking, so don't beat around the bush. Reaching out works best if you can provide something of value to them, and alumni often feel better helping out students of their university than some random person.
In your case though, reaching out randomly could probably be a good bet. I doubt there are as many people reaching out to autopsy pathologists out there for a quick chat, and they may be willing to lend a hand without anything in return.

Reply 4

i get you, i don’t necessarily enjoy putting my name out there. but i did create a linkedin because so many people recommended it. but icl… i dint even use it to network and i still managed to land a big 4 job without networking.

it is not essential to have a linkedin, but it is recommended, but you can defo indulge yourself in your chosen industry without it.

icl i only used that to find a job and once i did i havent logged back in since lmao. i would delete it but… you never know 🤷

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