Whether or not to notify your LinkedIn network when starting a new job is a common question for professionals these days. LinkedIn has become the premier site for establishing and maintaining professional connections and networks. With over 722 million members worldwide, LinkedIn offers unparalleled reach when it comes to broadcasting major career updates.
However, determining whether or not to notify your LinkedIn connections of a new job opportunity requires careful consideration of several key factors. In this comprehensive guide, we will examine the potential benefits and drawbacks of announcing new employment on LinkedIn in order to help you make the best decision for your specific circumstances.
Potential Benefits of Announcing New Job on LinkedIn
There are several advantages that could come from notifying your LinkedIn network when starting a new position:
Increased Visibility and Personal Branding
Making an announcement on LinkedIn is a great way to increase your visibility and build your personal brand. A well-crafted post sharing your new job can help showcase your expertise and skills to connections across your industry. This extra exposure can lead to exciting opportunities such as speaking engagements, freelance work, board positions, and more.
New Connections and Referrals
Informing your network about your new role opens the door for new connections and referrals. People you haven’t connected with previously may reach out to congratulate you or see if there are ways to collaborate now that you are in a new position. Additionally, your connections can refer you to key contacts at your new employer.
Strengthen Existing Connections
Notifying connections shows that you value those relationships and want to keep them updated on your career journey. It gives people in your network a reason to reconnect with you and cultivates reciprocity where they are then more likely to inform you of their own job changes and career news.
Build Goodwill with New Employer
Broadcasting a job update on LinkedIn is an opportunity to generate goodwill and social proof for your new employer’s brand. When done thoughtfully, the post allows you to speak positively about the company culture, business goals, and work you’ll be doing. This helps attract potential new customers, partners, and talent.
Personal Record Keeping
Having a LinkedIn post documenting your new job provides a helpful personal record of your career progression. You can look back on the post as a timestamp of when you joined the new company and made a major career transition.
Potential Drawbacks of Announcing New Job on LinkedIn
However, there are also some potential reasons to think twice before informing your LinkedIn network about a new job:
Burning Bridges
If not handled carefully, announcing a new job could damage your relationships with your current employer. Some companies frown upon employees broadcasting a departure before the organization is ready to share the news. Do thorough research on company policies and make sure to speak with managers before posting.
Too Much Information Sharing
For certain fields like investment banking, law, or public relations, revealing your next career move prematurely could violate non-disclosure agreements or client confidentiality expectations. Tread cautiously if bound by any legal restrictions.
Overwhelming Responses
A job change announcement can flood your inbox with a deluge of messages, comments, and connection requests. If you prefer to lay low, this sudden spike in notifications could feel distracting or overwhelming.
Indicator You’re Unhappy in Current Role
Posting about a new job too soon may imply you’re disengaged or unsatisfied in your present position. While you may be excited about new opportunities, you don’t want to come across as negative toward your current employer.
Perception You’re Job Hopping
If you switch roles frequently, announcing each transition on LinkedIn could create a perception that you are unstable or an unreliable hire. Use discretion in how often you broadcast new positions.
Best Practices for Announcing a Job Change on LinkedIn
If you decide that notifying your LinkedIn connections about your new job is the right move, here are some best practices to follow:
Wait Until After You’ve Started
Ideally, wait until after your first day on the job before announcing the news. This shows respect for your current employer and gives you time to confirm that the new opportunity is the right fit.
Inform Key Connections Privately First
Before making a public announcement, privately inform close connections who enabled the job switch or could be impacted, such as your current manager, recruiter, or new boss.
Keep Post Focused on Positives
Craft an upbeat post focused on the new opportunities ahead rather than airing any negativity about your current position. Demonstrate gratitude and highlight exciting future collaborations.
Use Official Company Messaging
Align with your new employer’s formal public relations messaging and tone. Stick to approved language, especially when describing the company and your role.
Update All LinkedIn Profile Details
In addition to a post, update key LinkedIn profile sections like your headline, employment history, about summary and experiences to reflect the new role.
Follow Company Social Media Guidelines
Review your new employer’s social media policies and follow all requirements related to announcing a job change on LinkedIn or other networks.
Limit Frequency of Job Change Posts
Avoid broadcasting every job hop on LinkedIn or risk appearing undisciplined. Reserve announcements for significant career moves, not lateral transitions or minor title changes.
Respond Promptly to Reactions
Follow up on congratulatory messages, connection invites, and other responses to your post in a timely, professional manner to get the relationship-building benefits.
Key Factors to Consider
When evaluating whether or not to announce new employment on LinkedIn, focus your decision around these key factors:
Current Employer Relationship
Consider the nature of your relationship with your current employer and team. Do you have their blessing and will notification damage these connections?
New Employer Policies
Review all guidelines at your new company related to internal and external communications before an announcement.
Non-Compete Agreements
Are you bound by any non-compete clauses or contracts that limit sharing this news publicly on LinkedIn?
Professional Culture
What are the norms in your industry around announcing job changes? Finance and law tend to be more conservative than marketing.
Size of Network
If you have a massive LinkedIn network, are you prepared for an influx of responses that could be time consuming?
Frequency of Job Changes
If you change roles often, be judicious in which moves you choose to broadcast to avoid job hopping perceptions.
Timing of Notice
Have you given sufficient notice to your current employer? Making an announcement too early can cause legal issues.
Alternatives to a LinkedIn Post
If concerns outweigh the benefits of announcing your job change on LinkedIn, here are some alternative approaches to consider:
One-on-One Outreach
Privately inform your closest LinkedIn connections individually either by email, phone call, or messaging. This allows for personalized communication.
Small Group Notification
Tell key stakeholders by hosting a small informal event or group call. This enables deeper discussion and relationship building.
Company Announcement
See if your new employer offers to announce your hiring as part of their formal PR outreach. This takes the pressure off you for sharing the news.
Word of Mouth
Let news of your job change organically spread through word of mouth. With time, connections will naturally find out through conversations.
Profile Update Only
Simply update your LinkedIn profile and job history without a separate post. People who visit your profile will still see your new role.
Executive Assistant
If resources allow, have an executive assistant send tasteful notifications on your behalf to avoid personal overload.
Key Takeaways
Here are the key takeaways to consider when deciding if and how to announce a new job on LinkedIn:
– Weigh benefits (visibility, networking) vs. drawbacks (burning bridges, overload)
– Follow all current and new employer policies
– Time announcement appropriately after starting role
– Craft post to focus on positives about new opportunity
– Limit frequency of notifications if you change jobs often
– Respond promptly to reactions and relationship building opportunities
– Explore alternatives like individual outreach if a public post is unsuitable
Conclusion
Notifying your LinkedIn connections about starting a new job can offer advantages like increasing your visibility, sparking new opportunities, and strengthening your network. However, in certain situations it may be better to avoid a public announcement to respect company policies, minimize disruption, and prevent negative perceptions.
Use the guidelines and success factors provided to thoughtfully evaluate the tradeoffs and determine the best approach for your specific circumstances. With care and strategy, you can maximize the upside and minimize any downsides of leveraging your LinkedIn presence during a job transition. The platform provides invaluable visibility but requires discretion to prevent burning bridges or appearing unfocused. Weigh all variables carefully as you make smart decisions suited to your industry and goals.
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