The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of her campus.
This article was written by a student writer from her campus branch at St. Andrews.
That’s true. LinkedIn can cause more anxiety than Instagram. A notification that another student has earned a return offer to graduate school is far more likely to send me into a spiral than a photo dump from reading week. All forms of social media, including the most advanced business-oriented social networking sites, can cause feelings of anxiety and envy.
Career anxiety doesn’t just come from LinkedIn. There are quite a few fear-inducing captions on Instagram and TikTok. Consider an all-caps caption that says, “You need to apply for an internship now!!” The competition to network, apply for internships, and land job offers seems inevitable. Unfortunately, you can’t just “jump off” this struggle. As a humanities student, I am constantly thinking about next steps and the grueling job search process. Overcoming career anxiety is difficult, but possible. The goal is not to prevent or suppress stress, but to manage stress productively. Based on personal experience, here is a list (not all) of ways to deal with career anxiety caused by social media.
Take a breath and take a break – it’s disgusting, but it’s real.
Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I’m incredibly hypocritical for bringing this up first. I rarely follow this advice. People often try to disprove this advice (at their own expense). But in reality, it’s a never-ending spiral, and self-loathing won’t let you move forward. We hate to admit it, but taking time off from work is a great way to reduce stress and set yourself up for success. I love walking around East Sands, grabbing a coffee at the cottage kitchen, and crocheting to recharge while listening to Bald and the Beautiful (an incredible podcast with drag queens Trixie Mattel and Katia Zamolochkova) is. Our habits and self-care habits are different. No matter what you are or what it entails, know that it is productive to meet your emotional needs.
“Interruption” can also include a literal interruption from LinkedIn. If you need to give LinkedIn (or any form of social media) the toxic treatment, do it. Instead of hitting the block button, temporarily remove the app from your phone or turn off notifications. Boundaries are healthy!
Give yourself important memories.
Social media, including LinkedIn, is never a completely accurate portrayal of a person’s behavior. Remember that some of your colleagues may be comparing themselves to you. Most journeys are not uniform or linear. You don’t need to understand everything right now. There is so much time in this long and dense book of life. Talk to almost anyone over the age of 30 and you’ll find that a huge number of professionals end up working in positions or companies unrelated to their degree subject. This memory is not only for you but also for me. I don’t set out to be a historian. It’s about transferable skills (right?). LinkedIn and your resume don’t define your value. What you got into a competitive internship in your 20s or what you pursue 10 years later will never be your best qualities. Congratulate yourself on achieving well-deserved accomplishments. However, don’t confuse your worth with extracurricular activities or professional endeavors.
Be kind to yourself!
Positive reinforcement goes a long way. Shout out to my lovely housemate who always preaches this during deadline season: “Before you tackle the next thing, look back at how far you’ve come.”
Revamp and refresh your profile.
You can update your profile in a variety of ways. Adding new experience or earned positions can be helpful, but it’s not the only way to upgrade. Adding a compelling summary of your current interests and future goals will give your network valuable insight into who you are beyond your resume. Actions such as commenting on or reposting content in your feed demonstrate your engagement with the network. Adding skills to your existing experience is also an easy and effective way to add depth to your profile.
Posting can be the best way to demonstrate your commitment to professional development, but it takes a lot of courage. Personally, the thought of posting on LinkedIn makes me nervous. There’s nothing more exciting than a “Celia Irving posted” notification sent to my entire network. Depending on how you feel, posting may not be necessary right away. Just keep it in the back of your mind.
Reach out!
After all, LinkedIn is a networking platform. Take advantage of it by sending cold messages or emails. Use your better judgment to determine what is appropriate. But in my opinion, friends of friends, friends of parents, university staff, alumni, etc. are worth a try. In places like St Andrews, nepotism, while problematic, can be very helpful. Pro tip: Go to the (Alumni) tab on the St. Andrews LinkedIn page to filter profiles based on employer, location, previous degree subject, and more.
Yes, we all feel a sense of impending doom (or maybe it’s just me!) when we think about graduate school plans, the dire housing market, and the general state of the world. However, in this capitalism’s “can-do economy”, unfortunately this does not make much progress. Don’t lose your mojo over something stupid and boring like LinkedIn.