I post articles nearly every week on LinkedIn’s Pulse platform. I’m very gratified when people take the time to comment.
The vast majority of these comments are positive. People thank me for providing useful information. Some add their own helpful tips. That’s all good.
Occasionally, someone posts a snarky comment, such as this one for my post “5 Deadly LinkedIn Mistakes”:
“You missed the one about posting articles with sensationalized titles to attract readers, which can lead to a loss in credibility of the poster. Deadly? A bit overstated, don’t you think? Unless of course you have numbers on the deaths resulting from LinkedIn mistakes.”
The comment came from someone who was actively job-hunting – his professional headline noted that he was “actively seeking” particular opportunities.
The funny thing is, although he complained about my choice of title, it seems to have done its job. It led him to read at least some of my article. In fact, at this writing, more than 2,000 people viewed the post.
The not so funny thing is, his mean-spirited comment impacts his personal brand and may have tarnished his reputation.
However justified he felt speaking his mind, I doubt it was worth alienating people, when he’s looking for a job.
With so many views to the post, it was quite possibly seen by recruiters, hiring professionals and others who could help him reach his career goals. What impression of him do you suppose his foolish comment gave them?
It just never makes sense to be negative or attack others in our communications . . . especially when they’re online for all the world to see.
You’ll note that I didn’t respond to him. I never respond to such comments – on LinkedIn posts, my own blogs or anywhere else.
I’ve found that people who are short-sighted enough to post nasty comments are probably not going to engage in meaningful conversation. I don’t like to call them out or encourage them to continue snarking, and possibly further damage their reputation.
More About LinkedIn and Executive Job Search
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