Let’s define “LinkedIn professional” once and for all

I keep seeing this theme on LinkedIn – “there’s a bikini-clad model that’s not “professional” this is LinkedIn and bikini clad models don’t belong here”

Businessmen shouldn’t wear backpacks – that’s not professional (sure you’re much better off with a $600 Tumi briefcase telegraphing that you are toting $1000 worth of electronics)

“Politics doesn’t belong on LinkedIn this is a professional networking platform”

yet

“One thing that you’re seeing is that there is a third [political] party emerging in this country, which is the party of CEOs,” 
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said.

who do I believe?

What is confusing to me is the definition of a “LinkedIn professional”

Can I be on LinkedIn without being a “professional” or do I need to be a “professional something”? How do I become a LinkedIn professional is there a form I need to fill out – is there a test that I need to take?

Here’s a picture of me in my home office. Blue jeans – one of my 46 black medium dickies T-shirts – wild suspenders – 6 in banded beard – logger boots – and concealed weapons.

I’ve also got an albino cockatiel named Popcorn on my shoulder who is crapping on my shirt.

Yet here I sit with 9 or 10 or 11 websites and blogs – I lose track – I’m monitoring 10 servers. I have 5 employees and digital subcontractors in six time zones around the planet.

I get the majority of my creative work done between 10 PM and 4 AM Central standard Time.

Windy City Parrot where the sun never sets empire – the small Internet company I help run provides stellar customer service – has been around for 23 years – we’ve never missed a USPS – or FedEx daily deadline.

I’ve amassed close to 500,000 followers – fans – twitterers – Pinner’s – blog readers – You-tubers – so yes Martha, I am an expert on social media.

I’m Google certified – I’m an SEO expert, content creator & digital marketer

But I am unable for the life of me to figure out is what the heck is a “LinkedIn professional”? Everyone’s talking about it but what does one look like?

All this debate has led to self-doubt – some mornings I get up and look in the mirror and say Mitch “you are a LinkedIn professional no matter what anyone says” 

Other mornings I get up and look in the mirror and say “that beard needs more oil and you’re just a Jewish hillbilly”

So someone help me – this divisiveness is making me bipolar – I don’t know what I am anymore.

Please assist this poor guy out and let me know if I’m a LinkedIn professional or not so I can sleep again. 

39 comments

 

 
1y

Nora Caterino

ecommerce website admin, blogger, social media marketing

When Mitch turned`me on to Candice Galek’s LinkIn page, it led me to visit her website and I found some wonderful clothes, bikinis, pants, skirts (short, knee length and long), shorts, tees, tops, dresses, and other types of clothing. I found lots of pieces I wanted. Some I would loved to have had access to when I was younger and had the sort of young skin Candice has

1y

Andy Loigu

Contributing Writer at Recorder Publishing Company

While I see some of the same snarky and hateful stuff that appears on other social media sites, I find LinkedIn to be more civil and reasoned, on the whole. Love reading stories by folks like Mitch, people who are willing to share their wisdom and experience.

There are 37 other comments.

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