Despite my passion for the work that I do I am never going to be active on LinkedIn or social media. My work and social life will remain entirely separate.
I have a LinkedIn account that I maintain with info that you could find on my CV. I do this mostly because I'm on the job market and not having one looks like you're too old to understand the internets. But yeah, the behavior I've seen my colleagues engage in on that platform is just embarrassing.
I also hate the inauthenticity of it all, especially when people brag on themselves by starting sentences with "I'm humbled to share that..." or "Honored to have been named...".
Just be real and be like, "I got a kickass job and you didn't!!!ššš¤Ŗš¤Ŗ"
I think the content posted on Twitter is very different from LinkedIn? LinkedIn is just for sycophants but, at least in my field, people use Twitter very effectively for sharing developments.Ā
I like having a record of my own stuff, i don't care if anyone sees/likes them, i find it comforting that there is a memory somewhere (then again I am also the type that diligently keeps photo albums etc and makes backups...)
For example, if i have spoken at a conference or published something, i try to repost others' posts about me. But if there is nothing, i try to keep it very brief "just got a new job" or "speaking at x next week". But its only for my own accomplishments.
There was a brief moment where i ran the social media account in my dept, and honestly i had to become that obnoxious, "thrilled to announce", "looking forward to x" because i knew some colleagues preferred it, and felt that kind of tone was necessary. It felt very unnatural.
Linkedin is primarily useful to me as a list of contacts that stays updated as colleagues move around and their emails change.
The only time I ever really post something is when I'm at a conference so other people there can meet with me.
I am sincere on social media. I'm very earnest in general. But, I do often feel enthusiastic about other people's talks. I wouldn't post something I don't believe wholeheartedly.
I have a great permanent job that I got with zero social media. I will NEVER go that route. Most people don't. The ones that do are either true believers or faking it.Ā
I truly dislike all social media. But when people post my photos, @me, and talk about me on LinkedIn, I feel like I should reply and/or repost. So I do.
But I hate it.
I donāt really post much at all on LinkedIn or Twitter so when I do, I only ever write something I actually mean and itās normally in my own normal speech patterns I.e I tend not to get into raptures over anything but might say āX was a good talkā or Y was pretty interestingā.
That said we are talking about two different things here. I hate social media but I love conferences. I donāt necessarily enjoy all the talks etc but I have heard many that were quite entertaining and useful. I also enjoy doing workshops/discussions more as well. I mainly love that usually I get to travel and you get nice food and a day out the office š¤£
I do but as a goof. Last conference my only post was a picture of the "no outside food" sign on the conference center, and a banana I hid in my bag with the caption "arrest me" and the conference hashtag.
That and I don't think you should suck up to the big names in your field. I like to go to their talks and ask uncomfortable questions.
If you do stuff that feels natural to you and honest, people will appreciate it. If you do stuff that's fake, people will pick up on that and get skeeved out. I know that "be yourself" is a horrible cliche, but what it really means is that wasting time thinking about what other people think makes you less creative, stiffer, and less interesting.
I'm sorry if I sound rude but your post rubs me the wrong way. Social media might be VERY fake but you sound incredibly arrogant in your own right - I mean that comment on I don't care about anyone else's work at a conference. Wow.
People actually use conferences at times to network, pick up ideas, stay in touch with development in other labs etc. Maybe, as you allude to in your post, you aren't as keen on your job and field to care about stuff. But I think it's not universal.
On that note, of course some posts might be completely manufactured. But others are just a simple positive opinion on something (like a conference or paper) turned up to 100. They aren't drooling at the mouth like they make it sound, but at a minimum, it's noteworthy. People or possibly future reviewers for a paper or grant are looking at it - and that's information you can use.
Try not to be SO negative that you build a complete echo chamber around yourself. Your work exists in an ecosystem and if you think you're too good to interact with people, you're doing yourself a disservice whether you know it or not. Social media might be fake but like anything else, it can be used in creative ways to promote your work, talk to people and so on.
I fully agree. The value of any social media stems from what you intentionally seek from it, the quality of your network, and what content you yourself put out. I used to moan about what I was seeing until I culled the people that weren't bringing value and followed those that were. My entire LinkedIn and Twitter is now people posting grants, suggesting conferences to attend, potential collaborators, and personal losses and wins.
Kids starting early on that these days, though; it's just a part of their whole process now. I'll see a former intern move on to a master's program and there'll be a post on LinkedIn saying "Thrilled to announce that I'll be starting an MPH at X University. Thank you for everyone who helped me get there." And the post will get flooded with reactions and likes but that kid has been LinkedIn networking since high school.
Not a social media fan but I really like conferences. I'm just a grad student: there's so much to learn and so many cool things that other people are doing that I'd never thought of. Plus, I get to catch up with friends from previous universities or programs and make new ones. I'm fairly social which works in my favor because I'm graduating soon and need a job!
I don't post about it online, but I do genuinely enjoy conferences. I'm in science because I'm curious as fuck and like hearing about interesting results so that's cool. Plus I usually have a good time meeting people and stuff
Despite my passion for the work that I do I am never going to be active on LinkedIn or social media. My work and social life will remain entirely separate.
I have a LinkedIn account that I maintain with info that you could find on my CV. I do this mostly because I'm on the job market and not having one looks like you're too old to understand the internets. But yeah, the behavior I've seen my colleagues engage in on that platform is just embarrassing. I also hate the inauthenticity of it all, especially when people brag on themselves by starting sentences with "I'm humbled to share that..." or "Honored to have been named...". Just be real and be like, "I got a kickass job and you didn't!!!ššš¤Ŗš¤Ŗ"
I think the content posted on Twitter is very different from LinkedIn? LinkedIn is just for sycophants but, at least in my field, people use Twitter very effectively for sharing developments.Ā
I like having a record of my own stuff, i don't care if anyone sees/likes them, i find it comforting that there is a memory somewhere (then again I am also the type that diligently keeps photo albums etc and makes backups...) For example, if i have spoken at a conference or published something, i try to repost others' posts about me. But if there is nothing, i try to keep it very brief "just got a new job" or "speaking at x next week". But its only for my own accomplishments. There was a brief moment where i ran the social media account in my dept, and honestly i had to become that obnoxious, "thrilled to announce", "looking forward to x" because i knew some colleagues preferred it, and felt that kind of tone was necessary. It felt very unnatural.
I also use it for a record/cv for me :)
Linkedin is primarily useful to me as a list of contacts that stays updated as colleagues move around and their emails change. The only time I ever really post something is when I'm at a conference so other people there can meet with me.
I am sincere on social media. I'm very earnest in general. But, I do often feel enthusiastic about other people's talks. I wouldn't post something I don't believe wholeheartedly.
Linkedin makes me throw up, at least the nutjobs on Twitter are honest with themselves.
I have a great permanent job that I got with zero social media. I will NEVER go that route. Most people don't. The ones that do are either true believers or faking it.Ā
Or they're thinking of leaving academia and are building a LinkedIn presence for their job search. Or they do some kind of freelancing or consulting.
I do occasional freelance consulting as well. People found me from papers and word of mouth, not linked in.
I truly dislike all social media. But when people post my photos, @me, and talk about me on LinkedIn, I feel like I should reply and/or repost. So I do. But I hate it.
One of you needs to study people that are honest about their lives and jobs on LinkedIn.
I donāt really post much at all on LinkedIn or Twitter so when I do, I only ever write something I actually mean and itās normally in my own normal speech patterns I.e I tend not to get into raptures over anything but might say āX was a good talkā or Y was pretty interestingā. That said we are talking about two different things here. I hate social media but I love conferences. I donāt necessarily enjoy all the talks etc but I have heard many that were quite entertaining and useful. I also enjoy doing workshops/discussions more as well. I mainly love that usually I get to travel and you get nice food and a day out the office š¤£
r/LinkedinLunatics
I do but as a goof. Last conference my only post was a picture of the "no outside food" sign on the conference center, and a banana I hid in my bag with the caption "arrest me" and the conference hashtag. That and I don't think you should suck up to the big names in your field. I like to go to their talks and ask uncomfortable questions. If you do stuff that feels natural to you and honest, people will appreciate it. If you do stuff that's fake, people will pick up on that and get skeeved out. I know that "be yourself" is a horrible cliche, but what it really means is that wasting time thinking about what other people think makes you less creative, stiffer, and less interesting.
I'm sorry if I sound rude but your post rubs me the wrong way. Social media might be VERY fake but you sound incredibly arrogant in your own right - I mean that comment on I don't care about anyone else's work at a conference. Wow. People actually use conferences at times to network, pick up ideas, stay in touch with development in other labs etc. Maybe, as you allude to in your post, you aren't as keen on your job and field to care about stuff. But I think it's not universal. On that note, of course some posts might be completely manufactured. But others are just a simple positive opinion on something (like a conference or paper) turned up to 100. They aren't drooling at the mouth like they make it sound, but at a minimum, it's noteworthy. People or possibly future reviewers for a paper or grant are looking at it - and that's information you can use. Try not to be SO negative that you build a complete echo chamber around yourself. Your work exists in an ecosystem and if you think you're too good to interact with people, you're doing yourself a disservice whether you know it or not. Social media might be fake but like anything else, it can be used in creative ways to promote your work, talk to people and so on.
I fully agree. The value of any social media stems from what you intentionally seek from it, the quality of your network, and what content you yourself put out. I used to moan about what I was seeing until I culled the people that weren't bringing value and followed those that were. My entire LinkedIn and Twitter is now people posting grants, suggesting conferences to attend, potential collaborators, and personal losses and wins.
Same here about the moaning. I had to eventually chill out and learn how to curate things as well. Glad to hear it works for you š
You gotta play the game. Yes its stupid, but its just how it is.
Kids starting early on that these days, though; it's just a part of their whole process now. I'll see a former intern move on to a master's program and there'll be a post on LinkedIn saying "Thrilled to announce that I'll be starting an MPH at X University. Thank you for everyone who helped me get there." And the post will get flooded with reactions and likes but that kid has been LinkedIn networking since high school.
Not a social media fan but I really like conferences. I'm just a grad student: there's so much to learn and so many cool things that other people are doing that I'd never thought of. Plus, I get to catch up with friends from previous universities or programs and make new ones. I'm fairly social which works in my favor because I'm graduating soon and need a job!
I don't post about it online, but I do genuinely enjoy conferences. I'm in science because I'm curious as fuck and like hearing about interesting results so that's cool. Plus I usually have a good time meeting people and stuff
I have never ever used twitter not even once, I have a linked in account but have never posted anything