As a long-time card-carrying LinkedIn member, I've seen my share of profiles and been approached by thousands of members to join their networks. I've seen the best of profiles and the worst. I've encountered the best of networkers and the worst.
I'm going to mention some of the LinkedIn don'ts that I consider pretty obvious, but I'm also going to suggest what to do instead. After all, I would be doing half the job if I only harped on the negative. So, here are my 10 #LinkedIn don'ts and what to do instead:
1. Don't use a QR code in place of your photo: This makes me see red. There's nothing logical about this because if I capture your QR code, I'm only going to see the same thing on your profile.
- Do this instead: Upload a clear, friendly, professional headshot. Show me who I would potentially connect with—people connect with people, not pixels. By the way, you don't need to hire a photographer who will charge you $400; a friend with a good camera will do the trick.
2. Don't try to sell me something right after I've accepted your invite. I'm the kind of person who initiates a buying transaction (It must be because I'm a first-born person).
- Do this instead: Start with a genuine thank-you, a bit of context, and a real conversation. Build rapport before pitching anything. It was once suggested that to form a relationship, it takes seven correspondences.
3. Similar to #2, don't try to continue to sell me something after I say I'm not interested. I don't think it's being constructively persistent; I think it's annoying and am most likely to block you.
- Do this instead: Respect boundaries. A polite, “Thanks anyway—let me know if I can help in the future” keeps the door open without slamming it in anyone’s face. I know rejection hurts, but it's better than being blocked and potentially blackballed.
4. Don't refrain from disagfreeing with whay I post. I don't mind a difference of opinion as long as it's professional. Like you might say, "Bob, I see nothing wrong with someone trying to sell me something; after all, LinkedIn was developed to enhance business."
- Do this instead: Share respectful, thoughtful disagreement. It makes the platform more interesting and shows you’re thinking critically—not just liking passively. I've disagreed with posts but always begin with, "This is a great posts, but there are some statements I disagree with...."
5. Don't write 10-line paragraphs in your About and Experience sections: In my old age, I've become extremely intolerant of large word blocks. If I want to read James Joyce, I would dust off my copy of Ulysses.
- Do this instead: Break up your content with bullets, spacing, and concise sentences. Make it skim-friendly for busy eyes. Always put yourself in the reader's shoes and ask yourself, "Is this too much to take in?" We love our words, but sometimes less is definitely better.
6. Don't love and leave LinkedIn when you get your next job. Continue to engage on LinkedIn while you're working, so you can continue to build and nurture your network. You might have to leave your gig and it would be nice to have a strong network in place.
- Do this instead: Stay active! Share your expertise, support others, and continue to build your network for the next opportunity. I can't tell you how many times I've talked with clients who resumed using LinkedIn. It's like your kids contacting you only when they need something.
7. Don't talk about politics. Angela Watts M.Ed., SHRM-CP, CCTC wrote a great post talking about the reason why you shouldn't talk politics. Here it is: https://lnkd.in/efzDQdEi. I won't tell you to take your political views to Facebook because politics don't belong there as well.
- Do this instead: Focus on professional topics that unite people—career growth, leadership, business trends, and the occasional uplifting story. There is one exception: if your job is politics, that's fine. I have a friend who's a political reporter and I love reading his take on politics.
8. Don't use LinkedIn as a dating site. I haven't personally experienced being hit on, but I spoke to one person recently who has. It made them want to discontinue using LinkedIn.
- Do this instead: Keep messages professional. Compliment someone’s insights, not their looks. There are apps for dating; this isn’t one. If you're in the market, Google the most popular dating sites. Did you know that eHarmony[dot]com is the most popular one according to CNET[dot]com. Go there instead.
9. Don'y bully people on LinkedIn. Same with trying to hit on people, it's a violation of a person's rights and shouldn't exist on this platform.
- Do this instead: Uplift, support, and educate. You never know who's watching—and kindness is a better brand than cruelty. My valued connections, Shelly Elsliger, PPCC, CPSL and Jeff Young , raged a war against bullies. Some people still haven't gotten the message.
10. Don't badmouth your former boss. This shows a total lack of emotional intelligence. I know you're angry about your situation, but there's a better way to get back them; land a job that pays more or, better yet, at one of their competitors.
- Do this instead: Share what you learned or what you're looking forward to in your next chapter. Positivity is memorable—and attractive to employers. I've seen some great Open-To Work announcements that have class written all over them.
Like them or not, these are the don'ts that come to mind for me. I've had some pushback from one of my close LinkedIn connections, Kevin Willett, on #2, until he recently changed his mind and credited me for his epiphany. (I say this in jest.) See his video here: https://tinyurl.com/4aebe5tw
But no one can object to #9 unless they're a bully. Most would agree that bullying and using LinkedIn as a dating site are just plain wrong. We have to remember that LinkedIn is a community in which we all have to live harmoniously.