Keep calm and cut the c**p!
As a recruiter, resources such as LinkedIn have transformed the way we work, making it easier to connect, network and keep in touch. However, these days I feel this once brilliant tool is now a source of huge irritation, mainly due to the vast volume of c**p (for want of a better word) that we’re besieged with on a daily basis.
We’re bombarded with inspirational quotes telling us to be positive, keep calm, aim for the stars, never give up, dance like no one’s watching (bleuurgh!) etc. etc. I wonder how we ever managed to get through the working day before the advent of this bizarre trend. It’s odd how most of these pearls of wisdom are ‘anon’ – are those responsible too embarrassed to put their name to it?
And why do we need to know about that now obscenely rich bloke who started life with nothing but a below-average IQ, chronic halitosis and just 17p in his moth-eaten pocket? I applaud anyone who has succeeded against the odds and who has an inspiring story to tell, but the constant onslaught of such tales is distracting and annoying and, in my opinion, LinkedIn is certainly not the right forum for this.
Perhaps it’s me, maybe my c**p filter is faulty – I know I’m easily distracted- (don’t get me started on those clippets showcasing new and amazing inventions – brilliant! – No! Do some work!). But I know I’m not the only one who is ‘concentrationally impaired’ (I just made that up). Perhaps it’s partly a symptom of not having grown up in the digital age?
Of course it’s ludicrous to blame LinkedIn for the wider issue of information overload. I know I’m sounding very much like a grumpy old bag (I’m not that old, but in digital years I’m ancient); I accept the fact that I need to continuously recalibrate my c**p filter in order to deal with the glut of content.
It is truly amazing how we can now connect, grow our networks and communicate like never before, on many different platforms. However, we are also more exposed than ever before– as potential employers and employees as well as individuals – so perhaps we should take responsibility and think twice about what we’re putting out there?