After years of working at the same company, you’ve just landed your dream job. Congratulations! You’ll surely want to tell everyone the news, including your LinkedIn network. Good idea, but there are a few things to consider before doing so.
When you change your job in your LinkedIn profile, all of your connections will automatically be notified of this update. There may be plusses and minuses to this. Keep that in mind.
When to Make the Announcement
Don’t announce anything while you’re still employed at your old job. Even if everyone knows you’re leaving, it’s just bad form to have one foot out the door while you’re still technically employed there.
Once you’ve started working at the new company, give it a week or two, to settle in. Just in case. Then make the change to your profile.
How and Where to Share the News
Update your job in your profile by doing the following:
- Click on the “Me” icon (at the top).
- Click the “View profile” button.
- Click on the pencil icon in your intro section.
- Under “Current position” click “+ Add new position” and enter your new info.
- Check “I am currently working in this role.”
- Click “Save.”
You might also want to create a post to announce your new position.
What to Say
It’s okay (even good!) to show some positive emotion with your announcement post. You might start off by saying something like, “I’m excited to announce that I’ve joined [X Company] as a [position title]…” You can describe what you’ll be doing, who you’ll be working with, why you were drawn to the company, and what you’re looking forward to. Remember that some members of your new employer may be reading it, so you might not want to talk about your plans to take over the company in a year!
Your announcement is also a good place to thank your former employer for the time you spent there. No matter how things ended, be gracious. This isn’t the time or place to air any grievances you may have with that employer. Show everyone that you’re a professional and appreciative of what others have done for you. As your mother always told you, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”
Feel free to use images in your announcement — if it makes sense. Something as simple as you sitting at your new desk or standing outside the building (with the company sign in the background) might be a nice touch.
Other Things to Consider
After you’ve switched jobs and/or companies, make sure to keep in touch, via LinkedIn, with your former work colleagues (assuming you left on good terms). And build up your LinkedIn network with your new work colleagues.