LinkedIn is a social media platform designed specifically for professional networking and career development. One of the features of LinkedIn is the ability for users to post updates about their work anniversaries to their connections.
What is a work anniversary?
A work anniversary refers to the annual recurrence of the date when an employee started working at a particular company or organization. For example, if someone started working at Company X on October 10, 2017, then each year on October 10th they are celebrating their work anniversary with Company X.
Why do people post about work anniversaries on LinkedIn?
There are several reasons why posting about work anniversaries on LinkedIn has become a common practice:
To update connections
Posting a work anniversary update allows professionals to inform their connections about their career progression and longevity with an organization. It serves as a way to stay top of mind with connections and keep them up-to-date.
To demonstrate loyalty
Posting about a work anniversary shows that someone has stuck with an organization for the long haul. This demonstrates loyalty, commitment, and perseverance. These are attractive qualities to colleagues, peers, and prospective employers.
To reflect on achievements
A work anniversary post often includes a recap of projects, accomplishments, and milestones from the previous year(s) at a company. This allows the poster to demonstrate what they’ve achieved.
To express gratitude
Many work anniversary posts convey gratitude to colleagues, managers, mentors, and the organization as a whole. These posts acknowledge the people and company culture that have supported their professional journey.
For recognition
Posting about a work anniversary often leads to likes, comments, and shared connections from professional contacts. This provides recognition and validation.
For personal branding
Work anniversary posts allow professionals to reinforce and promote their personal brand. They can remind connections of their expertise, skills, values and cultural fit.
What are the benefits of posting work anniversaries on LinkedIn?
Here are some of the benefits that posting about work anniversaries on LinkedIn can provide:
Increased visibility
A work anniversary post boosts visibility and reach to wider audiences. It serves as a moment to remind connections of someone’s profile and presence.
Reinforced relationships
The post can strengthen relationships with existing connections by prompting engagement. People may like, comment, and share the update with their own networks.
Valuable social proof
Likes, comments, and shares on the post acts as social proof. This positive endorsement from peers can build credibility.
Personal branding
As mentioned earlier, the post allows individuals to highlight achievements, skills, values and personality – building their brand.
Career opportunities
Announcing a work milestone shows progression. For some, this may lead to new job prospects, partnerships, or consulting opportunities.
Intrinsic rewards
Posting a work anniversary can provide intrinsic rewards through sharing achievements. This can boost motivation, self-confidence, and life satisfaction.
What should you include in a LinkedIn work anniversary post?
The content of a work anniversary post can vary depending on the individual, but some common items to include are:
Tenure facts
State how many years you have been at the company. You can even get creative and mention fun facts like how many times you’ve been through the holiday party cycle.
Gratitude
Thank leaders, colleagues, mentors, clients, and anyone else who helped you reach this milestone. Recognize the people and relationships.
Career growth
Highlight promotions, expanded responsibilities, new skills, and professional development. Quantify your career growth.
Achievements
List key projects delivered, accomplishments, awards won, and business impacts. Provide concrete examples.
Company impact
Note the products, services, and innovations you’ve contributed to. Show how you positively impacted the organization.
Future outlook
Express excitement about projects on the horizon and goals for the upcoming year. End on an aspirational note.
Photos/visuals
Incorporate photos from work events, award ceremonies, team celebrations, or even your original employee ID badge.
Hashtags
Hashtags like #workanniversary, #workmilestones, #reflections help organize and index your post.
Examples of great LinkedIn work anniversary posts
To make these examples more concrete, let’s assume the individual is named Jordan Smith and the company is XYZ Corp. Here are two sample anniversary posts:
Example 1
“
This month marks my 9th work anniversary at XYZ Corp! It’s amazing how time has flown by since I joined as an entry-level analyst in 2014. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities, mentorship, and relationships that have allowed me to grow into my current role leading the analytics team. Thank you to all my wonderful colleagues who have taught me so much over the years. I’m proud of the impact we’ve made – launching industry-leading tech like XYZ Analytics and AI Vision. I can’t wait to see what the next 9 years brings!
”
Example 2
“
Celebrating 3 years at XYZ Corp today! What an adventure it has been. In that time…
- Led redesign of mobile app UX, increasing engagement 38%
- Headed introduction of new B2C product line, generating $1.2M in first year revenue
- Managed integration of 5 newly acquired companies
- Expanded my team from 4 to 18 incredible designers
Thank you to everyone who has guided, collaborated with, or learned alongside me. Let’s keep growing!
”
Tips for writing a LinkedIn work anniversary post
Here are some tips to write an impactful work anniversary post:
Be authentic
Share your genuine thoughts and emotions. Dig deep to reflect on your journey at the organization.
Make it personal
Open up about relationships built, lessons learned, or how you’ve changed. Make it about your experience.
Express gratitude
Use specific names when thanking people who have helped you along the way.
Use metrics
Quantify achievements and impact with numbers – e.g. dollars earned, products shipped.
Get creative
Consider weaving in a fun visual or altering your writing style. Find ways to stand out.
Engage others
Prompt readers to share their own stories or congratulate you. Invite dialogue.
Watch tone
Keep it positive about your work, not self-congratulatory. Be humble but celebrate growth.
Potential pitfalls to avoid
While work anniversary posts have become commonplace on LinkedIn, there are some potential pitfalls to avoid:
Self-promotion
Don’t make the post too self-focused. Shift the lens to thank others who have uplifted you.
Exaggeration
Be truthful. Don’t embellish accomplishments just to impress. Authenticity matters.
Too frequent
Posting every year is fine, but don’t overdo it with constant real-time updates.
TMI
Keep it professional. Consider whether very personal details are appropriate for a public audience.
Controversial topics
Avoid discussing politics, religion, or social issues unrelated to work.
Comparisons
Don’t compare yourself to others. Success is not a competition with peers.
Forced gratitude
Only thank people you genuinely want to recognize. Don’t just do it for the sake of the post.
Key takeaways
Here are the key takeaways on why LinkedIn work anniversary posts have become common practice:
- Announce career milestones and longevity at an organization
- Demonstrate loyalty, commitment, and values to connections
- Provide social proof of skills, expertise and achievements
- Strengthen relationships and personal brand
- Gain recognition and engagement from professional community
When crafted thoughtfully, work anniversary posts allow professionals to reflect on their journey, thank those who have uplifted them, and move forward in their careers with an enhanced personal brand.
Year | Title | Key Achievements |
---|---|---|
2014 | Entry Level Analyst | Completed XYZ training program |
2016 | Senior Analyst | Led 20+ client projects, nominated for Analyst of the Year award |
2018 | Analytics Manager | Built 5-person team, launched analytics dashboard product |
2021 | Director of Analytics | Grew team to 15 analysts, reduced client churn by 10% |
This table provides a sample overview of Jordan Smith’s career growth and achievements at XYZ Corp over the past 9 years, as referenced in the example work anniversary post.
Conclusion
Posting about career milestones like work anniversaries on LinkedIn has become a popular way for professionals to share their achievements, strengthen connections, and build their brand. While every work anniversary post will be unique, following best practices around tone, content, gratitude, and authenticity can help craft an update that resonates with your network. Most importantly, your post should reflect your genuine professional journey and the people who supported you along the way.