LinkedIn sucks

Yes, I said it. LinkedIn, a well renowned social networking platform for professionals, is a letdown. How many times have professionals like yourself applied for a job or reached out to a connection and it goes nowhere? Some of it is just part of the process and some of it is incredibly frustrating. I’m witnessing LinkedIn turn into Facebook or Instagram with people posting their personal updates that have nothing to do with networking or jobs. Yes, I’m glad you had a baby but LinkedIn isn’t the place for that. I don’t care about your random rant about your relationship on there either. This is not a therapy session but a networking platform. It’s just my opinion.

The job scams on this platform are crazy. I remember a dozen coworkers of mine getting reached out about the same job that turned out to not even exist. This happens on a daily basis. LinkedIn has a problem with not recognizing these scams. This is harming individuals who apply and then realize that they’ll never hear back. One thing that I’ve witnessed is job descriptions are copied and pasted and the only thing that’s different is the company. However, on each of the company websites, there is no such job posting. This is maddening.

The spam recruiters are also a huge issue. I apply for positions within the U.S and I am contacted by a recruiter from another country who lives and works in their respective country. Perhaps they are real recruiters but I always get confused about how on earth they know about the specific position in a city that I know they don’t live in. The worst part about this is getting reached out to and then I see that they’ve deleted their profile once the position is closed. LinkedIn needs a better system in place for identifying individuals who are scamming job seekers. I’m not even sure half the time if the recruiters are who they say they are. There is a rise in virtual recruiters and I find that worrisome. I understand that this might make recruitment easier but also increases the likelihood for issues with candidates being accurately screened.

The lack of transparency about salaries on LinkedIn is another issue. I feel that if someone puts in the effort to update their resume and apply, then the company should be able to post the pay, benefits, and other details. Transparency just doesn’t exist on this platform. Sometimes the pay rate that exists on LinkedIn is not in fact what you will be receiving if you actually get a job. To me, that is incredibly fraudulent and dishonest.

I’ve also found that reaching out to recruiters or individuals at a company you’d like to work at can be a dead end. The ghosting is off the charts. I understand that sometimes it’s uncomfortable when somebody reaches out to you with a question but how hard is it to be courteous and respond? It’s also frustrating when the person reads your message but doesn’t respond.

I know sometimes reaching out to individuals is awkward on LinkedIn. I’ve done it and cringed. It’s even worse when they look at my message and then don’t reply. I understand they may feel uncomfortable or not know how to respond. However, is it really so much to just send a short reply? Is it impossible to just answer a question? Maybe I’m being too harsh. But again, this is just my own opinion. If you’re searching like me, I hope you find a better job even if this economy sucks. Hope this article made you feel less alone if you feel the same as me.