Deciding whether to announce a new job on LinkedIn is an important choice that merits careful consideration. On the one hand, posting about your new role can expand your professional network, enhance your personal brand, and allow you to control the narrative. However, there are also risks, such as inadvertently alerting your current employer or sharing information you later realize you want to keep private. The right decision depends on your specific circumstances and goals.
The potential benefits of announcing a new job on LinkedIn
Announcing a new job on LinkedIn can offer several advantages if done thoughtfully and strategically:
- Expand your network – A job update post reaches all your connections, letting them know you have a new role. This can lead to new connections and opportunities.
- Enhance your personal brand – An announcement positions you as an expert in your new field or company and shows your career growth.
- Control the narrative – Posting about your new job allows you to shape how people learn the news rather than hearing it secondhand.
- Share your excitement – For many, a new job is an accomplishment worth celebrating. A post allows you to do so.
- Find new opportunities – Announcing your new job can prompt recruiters or professional contacts to reach out about new roles.
- Notify your network – A post efficiently informs all connections about your professional move so you don’t have to tell people individually.
- Thank supporters – You can use an announcement post to show appreciation for those who helped you land the new job.
Potential risks of announcing a new job on LinkedIn
While there are benefits, there are also some potential downsides to consider:
- Inadvertently notifying current employer – If you post before leaving your current job, it could alert your employer before you have a chance to tell them.
- Sharing too much, too soon – The excitement of a new job can lead to oversharing details you later wish you had kept private.
- Damaging current relationships – Posting can upset your current employer, colleagues or clients who learn the news impersonally online.
- Opening yourself to outreach – A job announcement can prompt unwanted recruitment contact if not managed properly.
- Creating expectations too soon – Announcing a job sets certain expectations about your new role that may not match the reality once you start.
- Reducing future options – Publicly posting may impact future job search activities if you end up looking again soon after starting the new role.
Key factors to consider when deciding whether to post
When evaluating whether to announce a job change on LinkedIn, the following are important factors to take into account:
- Current employer awareness – Have you already told your current employer or submitted formal resignation? If not, hold off posting until you’ve notified them.
- Employment agreements – Review any contracts or agreements you signed with your new or current employer that may impact announcing the news.
- Company culture – Understand the norms at both your current and new employer related to job announcements and public sharing.
- Timing – When are you starting? Posting far in advance can set inaccurate expectations about your start date.
- Future plans – Do you anticipate staying in the role long term or potentially looking again soon? How might a post impact those options?
- Job function – Is publicizing critical for client-facing roles versus internal positions?
- Contacts to notify – Are there key stakeholders like senior leaders or core clients who should hear from you directly?
Best practices for announcing a job on LinkedIn
If thoughtfully executed, posting about a new job can be professionally beneficial. Here are some best practices:
- Inform your current employer and negotiate timing for any public announcement.
- Review your new employer’s policies and culture norms around public job posts.
- Write the post close to your start date once details are confirmed.
- Frame the news positively, focusing on your excitement rather than criticizing past roles.
- Use the announcement to showcase expertise gained that will translate to the new position.
- Make the tone professional and avoid oversharing confidential details.
- Personally notify key stakeholders prior to the public post.
- Update employment status, headline, and description after starting the new role.
- Engage with commenters and expand your network based on post reactions.
Alternatives to a public announcement
A LinkedIn announcement is not the only option. You may want to consider:
- Updating your employment status and headline when you start the new job without a separate post.
- Personally informing your core network connections individually.
- Announcing via email or intranet if your current employer prefers an internal notification.
- Waiting until after you start the new role and have concrete details to share.
- Asking new employer if they wish to control public communications about your hiring.
- Working with your new employer on coordinated PR or press release to jointly announce the news.
Key takeaways
Posting about a new job on LinkedIn has upsides but also risks to weigh. Avoid oversharing early on or posting before critical stakeholders know. Frame the news positively and focus on showcasing your expertise. Personally notify key contacts prior to a broader announcement. With care and forethought, you can maximize the advantages of announcing a new job on LinkedIn.