Why You Should Never Overshare on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great professional tool for business development and building a career network. But I find too many people overshare and it hurts them in the long run.

On The Small Business Radio Show this week, I talked to Elizabeth Pearson who is an executive career coach who helps women navigate job changes, succeed in male-dominated fields, and launch their own companies. Prior to building her executive coaching career, Elizabeth Pearson was a core member of the original Glaceau Vitamin Water team and built national distribution for both Vitamin Water and Smart Water, which resulted in Coca-Cola acquiring the company for $4.1 billion.

Elizabeth talked about four reasons not to overshare on LinkedIn:

1. It can be perceived as unprofessional: LinkedIn is a professional networking site and not Instagram. Sharing personal details that are not relevant to your professional life can make you appear unprofessional. Employers may be looking for candidates who demonstrate a level of maturity and discretion, and oversharing personal information can make you seem untrustworthy.
2. It can distract from your professional accomplishments: When you share too much personal information, it can distract from your achievements and expertise. Instead of focusing on your skills and experience, people may be more interested in your personal life, which can hurt your chances of being seen as a qualified candidate.
3. It can alienate potential employers or clients: Sharing personal details that are controversial or divisive can alienate potential employers or clients who may not share the same views.
4. It can compromise your privacy: Sharing too much personal information on LinkedIn can compromise your privacy and leave you vulnerable to identity theft or other online scams. You never know who is reading your posts or who may use your personal information for nefarious purposes, so it is important to exercise caution and discretion when sharing personal details online.

Elizabeth adds, “It is best to strike a balance between being personable and professional, and to exercise discretion when sharing personal information online. Save the personal posts and vacation pictures for Instagram.”

Listen to the entire interview on The Small Business Radio Show.

Image: elizabethpearson

This article, "Why You Should Never Overshare on LinkedIn" was first published on Small Business Trends