LinkedIn or Sneaky Link?
- Rebecca Doyle
- Feb 14
- 4 min read
LOOKING FOR FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS... OR AT LEAST INSURANCE
It is a classic tale. Unrequited love. From Gatsby's green light to Echo and Narcissus, these stories almost always end the same, in tragedy. From the outside, it's easy to shout "Move on" and roll your eyes thinking "Don't you know what's good for you?" You don't need a relationship to be fulfilled, when it's time the right person will come along.
However, there is one that it seems we do need, the one that will give us stability and social standing. we can't help but drool over the thought of them. C'mon, we all know who I'm talking about.
First Name: Full-time Last Name: Job.
Job Searching in your 20s today is a slog. In some ways, we are more liberated than ever. Gen Z has become known for a blunt, unapologetic attitude. An embrace of freelance work and a multi-job lifestyle seems to be the overwhelming trend; however, it also feels like the only option in a sea of entry-level part-time offers without benefits.
On sites like LinkedIn, a visitor is overwhelmed by content. Seemingly endless scrolls of opportunity. There are plenty of fish in the sea, however, the ones that bite often seem to be catfish (AKA any “marketing” job). It is exhausting to pour your heart into a cover letter all the while knowing there is a high probability it will never be read. We get teased receiving notifications that our applications were viewed. Sometimes we even hear back. Only to never hear again, leaving us to wonder if they ever really cared. So, are we destined to wallow in this repetitive loop of unrequited love?
Why does LinkedIn make me feel like an unmarried woman in the 1800s? I don't want to beg for attention through insincere displays of content. I mean, Louisa May Alcott made it work. Can we liberate ourselves from the pressures of social platforms calling for engagement rates and seek out a pure form of connection and intention?
Gen Z is the fastest-growing audience on the LinkedIn platform. In an article by The Daily Free Press, Gen Z is referred to as “the worst generation to deal with in the workplace” according to hiring managers. However, the article goes on to explain the current state of the job market, “about 58% of people who hold a full-time job also work a second job. Additionally, the reported cost of living for a single person in the United States in 2022 amounted to approximately $44,000 per year — a sum many entry-level jobs do not offer as a starting salary.”
According to Forbes, “According to almost half (49%) of Gen Z job seekers. Four in 10 report that it’s happening more than ever before.” They also explain, “applying for high numbers of positions—is no longer a winning strategy, as 41% report applying to more jobs than ever before, but hearing back less.”
To see how others were feeling about this experience... I put out an open call. I asked for anonymous submissions, looking for honesty around the dreaded job search.
“IT'S A NIGHTMARE, IT'S NEVER ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW, IT'S WHO YOU KNOW. IT BENEFITS THOSE IN POSITIONS OF POWER TO BRING ON WHO THEY LIKE, NOT WHO'S QUALIFIED.”
“IT FEELS LIKE SWIPING ON HINGE.”
“SO MANY GIRLIES I KNOW ARE STRUGGLING. CONTINUOUSLY BEING GHOSTED DURING THE PROCESS.”
“IF THE JOB SEARCH HAS ONE HATER, IT’S ME.”
“IT'S DISCOURAGING WHEN THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOMEONE MORE QUALIFIED THAN YOU.”
“IT SUCKS.”
“HANDSHAKES UL/ UX IS SHIT”
“COLLEGE CAREER OFFICES HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND ARE VIRTUALLY USELESS. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE TELL ME THREE DIFFERENT THINGS?”
“IT WOULD BE GREAT TO NOT BE GHOSTED ALL THE TIME! A SIMPLE ‘THANKS BUT NO THANKS’"
“OLD LEATHERY F*CKS WANT TO PAY YOU 10 CENTS TO RUN THEIR ENTIRE MARKETING DEPARTMENT!”
“I THINK A LOT OF JOB POSTINGS HAVE NO INTENTION OF HIRING AND IT'S A WAY TO KEEP RECRUITERS BUSY.”
“PRE-INTERVIEW JOB ASSIGNMENTS ARE ABSOLUTELY DIABOLICAL.”
The results are in. LinkedIn is a total non-committal serial dater prone to ghosting.
It is simple. The system is not set up for success. Even the most dedicated Gen Z employee may have to turn to a secondary income to even consider paying for housing and a healthy adult lifestyle. So, with this in mind, we go into our online profiles as hopeless romantics. Like anyone on a first date, we try to make ourselves look good, polish our resumes, share our personal stories, and of course, listen to others and politely compliment their successes through automated AI messages.
Now, it can’t be all bad. It is easy to turn completely cynical in oversaturated yet hollow online environments. Like anything, job networks are a tool. Can’t we hack the system? Find those genuine souls and special connections? Of course! However, that isn’t to say it is easy, happens for everyone, or comes without rejection and frustration. Waiting for whatever LinkedIn’s version of Cupid is to strike you with an arrow can feel like an eternity of shouting into the void.
SO, THIS VALENTINE'S DAY TREAT YOURSELF, TURN TO SINCERITY, SEEK TRUE CONNECTIONS, AND REMEMBER LINKEDIN IS JUST A SITUATIONSHIP.
BY REBECCA DOYLE
Imagery by Rebecca Doyle
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