There are certainly pros and cons of announcing job changes on LinkedIn. Have you thought about the possible repercussions of announcing job changes on LinkedIn?

Perhaps you didn’t know that you have the option to announce or not.

Many of my clients prefer not to announce job changes or other changes they have made to their profile. They simply don’t see a need to let their connections know about these changes.

Most of the time, I choose this option as well. Yet, there can be benefits to sharing these changes, especially a change of job or position.

Recently, I was elected president of my Timberline Toastmasters club. This club is part of a worldwide organization through which members improve their communication and leadership skills. I announced this change and got quite a few people messaging me notes of congratulations.

 

Pros of Announcing Job Changes on LinkedIn

  • People like to see good news, especially when someone they know lands a job or a promotion. They want to celebrate your good fortune with you.
  • Keep in mind that you can list other roles in the experience section of your profile – such as leadership roles in volunteer organizations. As a result, announcing your new role will draw attention to the organization. In fact, of those folks who congratulated me on becoming president of my Toastmasters, a few said they are going to visit a Toastmasters club.
  • Seeing the announcement might prompt one of your connections to reconnect with you in person. These visits might lead to more clients or referral partners.
  • Some of the messages you get can really lift your spirits. An example of one that did that for me said, “You continue to inspire me!”

 

Cons of Announcing Job Changes on LinkedIn

  • Not knowing whether to respond to “canned” messages, e.g. “Congratulations on your new role.” My recommendation is to write your own “canned” response, even if you don’t really know the person very well. If they included something more personal in their message, then include your canned response plus a personal note.
  • These messages can overwhelm your inbox, which can be frustrating. I suggest that you delete these emails from your inbox. Then, within a few days, go into LinkedIn and send your canned response, including personal notes as needed.

 

I highly recommend that you retain the default setting of being notified via email when someone sends you a message via LinkedIn. It’s not that often that you will get a barrage of messages, as just happened to me. Potential business opportunities can come through a LinkedIn message. So, please don’t disable this setting.

Also, take the time to personalize a note of congratulations when you send congratulatory messages of your own. About a third of the people who congratulated me included such notes, and each one meant a lot to me.

 

How About You?

Do you take the time to write a note of congrats when a LinkedIn connection gets a new job or other role? Do you include personal notes? How do you respond to the notes of congratulations you receive?

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 45 and up, to become more effective using social media, especially Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

She works with business owners, business development professionals, business consultants, job seekers, and more – ranging from entrepreneurs to people in large corporations. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.