Say goodbye and hello to new roles using LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a social media channel that my clients discuss a lot and one that sparks unnecessary fear and trepidation. Am I posting enough? Is my content professional enough? Am I showing myself in the right light?

There are lots of advantages to posting on LinkedIn about all aspects of job transitions. Much like the Beatles song, it’s often a case of “you say goodbye, and I say hello” when it comes to making work announcements on LinkedIn. I’ll explain what I mean.

Increase your visibility

Many of my clients are worried about posting on LinkedIn, and this only intensifies when related to leaving a role (whether voluntarily or through redundancy). Some people are worried about saying they are out of work and others are  nervous about posting on day one of a new job, just in case they don’t like it, things don’t work out, or circumstances change again.

When leaving a role voluntarily you may already have a new job lined up so it’s a great opportunity to announce the ending of one chapter and the beginning of the next. I typically encourage clients to do this as two separate posts one saying goodbye, reflecting on the last role and maybe thanking colleagues, and the next saying hello in their new role, and positioning their hopes and optimism for the future.

When leaving a role through redundancy,  by publicly saying goodbye to an old job, you can activate your audience. A contact who might not have considered you may now think you’re a perfect fit for their vacancy, and current and former colleagues could alert you to new opportunities now they know you are on the market for a new role!

You need to separate your identity from your last employer, especially if you’ve been employed at the same organisation for a long time. This helps your connections have you on their radar and know that you are now on the market and available for opportunities.

It is interesting that before the pandemic many people felt uncomfortable having ‘seeking new opportunities’ on their profile, worried about what people may think. Now LinkedIn has a new added feature, often known as the green banner, and for some it seems to have taken away part of the stigma around being available. For others, however,  there is still some fear about looking ‘desperate’.

For me, announcing your status as looking for work is a personal decision , based on the right career marketing strategy for you and what will get you the right visibility. If you prefer you can still market yourself in a different way, but it is worth knowing that some recruiters do use the LinkedIn “open to work” filter in their talent searches.

Similar to being open that you’re looking for work, saying hello to your new role alerts your audience to your job move and lets them know what you are moving to in the next chapter of your career story. It can also help you to quickly connect with new colleagues as you join the business.

One client of mine went from not using LinkedIn at all, with no activity for seven years, but with a bit of encouragement she made the bold move to announce that she was leaving her long-term role, to then celebrating her new role, and finally promoting recruitment of her own all in a matter of weeks!

Posting that you’re looking for work – in the right way – can open up opportunities. From my experience, LinkedIn is a very supportive community and people in your network often want to help. With the past year being so difficult for so many I have seen more and more people showing vulnerability and being open about their redundancy and witnessed the kindness of their connections on LinkedIn showing support, offering advice and sharing roles to help.

Show you’re human

Your aim should be to strike a balance between being professional and showing that you’re human. You might want to thank your last organisation or colleagues… or you might not! Whatever the situation, don’t burn any bridges and show your professionalism as you end this chapter of your career.

Try writing a well-worded and tactful paragraph like “Today is my last day at XX after YY years. It has been a pleasure to work with such a great team of people along the journey.” These kinds of posts are the ones that get lots of engagement on LinkedIn as colleagues take the opportunity to say goodbye and wish you well.

On your next post, a short introduction to the next chapter announcing, “I’m excited to take my next step with ZZ from next week, I am looking forward to meeting the new team on Monday,” will help your network see where you’re going to.

So, get the conversation started and consider updating your current position.

If you want support through the process of finding and announcing your next job – give me a call to arrange a free chemistry session on 07765 894040.