Does anyone else get “LinkedIn envy” or is it just me? I’ll be scrolling and see someone I graduated with got promoted to VP, another launched their third startup, someone else posted about a 40% raise. Meanwhile I’m just trying to make it through quarterly reviews, and even though I know it’s all highlight reels, it still makes me feel like I’m falling behind. I’ll admit I’m the average Joe… but do you ever compare your career to what you see on LinkedIn, or have you learned to tune it out?

Comparison is the thief of joy.

I'm 36M living way beyond the dreams I had 15 years ago. The goal was to get to college then graduate. That's more than most of my family can say. 2011 was still a rough time post recession, so holding a steady job wasn't even realistic for many people then.

Fast forward and now I've got a healthy marriage and two healthy kids, and our HHI is ~$350K, which is PLENTY. I know there are people making more (especially on this app), but I also know people would kill for much of what I've got and it's insulting to my 2011 self to not be grateful for it.

Do I want to earn more? Yes, as does my wife. But I try to cherish everyday because I know my future self will miss these days right now. Our kids, family and friends will age and our health will fade too; money doesn't stop those things. Unless I can learn from others' success, I tune it out because it doesn't matter.

My whole perspective really changed about 5 years ago when I literally almost died. Now I find my joy through volunteering and enjoying my life. Find something that you care about and share it! It will make you feel good to do it, to share it and encourage others to do the same.

My greatest success I’ve never even posted about because it’s nobody’s business but my own. Keep going ignore peoples success signaling and become happy.

LinkedIn has just become a complete AI brain rot! it’s changed over the last few years where people are using AI and generative AI to upload fancy posts making themselves look cool. As for feeling behind, you shouldn’t compare yourself to others, self explanatory but linkedin has just been a pool for people to show off and compete against one another or get external validation. By all means connect with people, speak and collaborate in discussion or direct messages but just understand it’s changing and losing its credibility.

How are you doing against your own standards rather than compared to folks you graduated with? I don't have any patents, didn't launch any startups that I sold to Meta for 9 figures, or do anything particularly notable in the larger scheme of things, either. But I did start a concert series of which I'm artistic director that's in its 25th season, help another non-profit stay in business, and serve as Board Chair of two other non-profits. And I did make the goal I set for myself of making VP before I retired, and I've semi-retired (finally!) at age 70 with the opportunity to continue to work enough to stay interested and with enough money that my wife and I don't have to worry about finances as long as we don't start light cigars with Benjamins. As Joseph Campbell said, "follow your bliss". Set your own goals and go for them!

Please dont get hung up on titles. I work at a bank and we all get titles like AVP, VP, SVP and while it looks impressive its more about your wage grade for your particular job. I also know there are a lot of people who started their own company and gave themselves the title CEO, not so impressive when your company tanks a year later. Also, salary or HHI is so relative to your area of residence. If you live in a HCOL area like LA or Boston and make 300k you are probably just barely getting by. Enjoy what you have and dont take your job or success for granted. And never get too comfortable.

I do But I Like Indeed; it's more Easier To Use.

No, the pie of success is large enough for all.
I am tired of the monetization and members pitches all through the platform now.
I pay for this service

I once looked at a candidate's campaign report and saw that her largest contribution was the use of my former classmate's private jet.

One of my kid's best friends in Pre-K was opposite gender from a somewhat well off family. Then they moved overseas and didn't stay in touch. Then I saw a report that indicated the dad's holdings in a public company; his stake in that one business was worth 9 figures. That's the one that stung; I don't really care who lines the pockets of a politician, but it would have been nice to look forward to multimillionaire grandkids.

I used to get the LinkedIn envy but over time I found out some things that were not on LinkedIn. For example, one former colleague achieved a pretty high title for his age.
Then I found out he was working so much his wife was having some fun with the lifeguard.

Tune it out be cause a lot of times people are making things up or embellishing on their accomplishments.

I am 56 and have been in my career/sector for 23 years. I am not complaining now but I see some people I worked with (and who are bang average skills wise) 20 years ago who have bounced up job levels every 2 years and now have very senior jobs.
I do wonder if I should have been 'less honest' about my sklii set, streched myself for a new jobn and then left 2 years later before my lies came crahing down.
So I say make it or fake it, or ignore the noise.... all the best

Someone is looking at YOUR life and thinking "Damn, they got it good. Wish I had a car, a home, a job, ..a thick head of hair, nice clothes,.." etcetera. There will always be someone More fortunate and there will be just as many LESS. Its the vibe you carry that makes people pay attention. A negative mind will never provide that positive life. Your problem isnt the problem, its just your attitude ABOUT the problem.
What I say to myself when I get into the same mind set.

It’s all through a social media lens. You never see the dark or hard stuff, only the good or great. I don’t even use it for job hunting anymore, so many fake postings. Hustle culture will kill you if you let it. I will never be that person, ever again. I keep my work history up to date, my image professional and the account verified in case a potential employer wants to look me up, but the rest is just noise.

Some of the people I went to high school with are doctors , or Teachers now. Some of them are quite literally dead. I am quite happy walking the middle road. Keeping my head down and my spirits up.

Unless your job is quite literally Social Media related, I don’t’t think it’s a standard you need to hold yourself to.

No, I don't envy other people. I achieved everything I wanted as an engineer, and that is what I desired. Moving up into management roles was very boring to me.

It's a natural reaction. But take a minute to think about the phrase 'highlight reels'. Far fewer people want to post problems in their personal or professional life on a career social media site. You could be in the top ten or twenty percent of earnings in your class and never realize it.

LinkedIn is a social media, and just like any other social media it's a curation of what people choose to show the world.

If it's leading to you having unhealthy thought patterns, perhaps the time is to close the account. If it's not benefitting you, what's the point of having it?

And everyone can compare something to someone else. Life's enough of a competition as it is.

I can't stand LinkedIn! I had 2 accounts with other 1800 business connections and I was a paying user—LinkedIn cancelled and banned my account permanently for likening Covid to the common cold a few years ago. It seems that platform protects the bad guys (Reid Hoffman) but dumps/censors honest Americans

Nope. I don't use social media, and I sure as hell don't use LinkedIn. It's just an online rat-race. Who knows if anyone's being honest about anything anyhow?

Feel tha burn, bruh...Just kidding; after I completed my Master of Science, graduated & built my own investment banking portfolio (that excels beyond most competition--even the big houses),I don't really pay any attention like I may have during my first year working after completing my B.A.S. The sentiment definitely tries to linger, though--I won't deny; people who post those details know what reactions they're invoking. They know--in some way--their success drives others crazy; they want some sort of attention for their posts. If they were really not seeking attention for their success, they wouldn't even post in the first place; they'd just sit back & enjoy in private. But marketing is a "you know what," & marketing yourself is no exception. One man's ceiling is another man's floor (i.e., one man's success is another man's failure...) this adage is only somewhat true for the most addictive personalities. If you're an "average Joe," then I would offer you empathetic advise: it sounds like you are comparing yourself to elite members of the business world: Average Joe vs Super Elite; Super Elite vs Average Joe, hmmm...it sounds like you are making some grossly incongruent estimation, here--try to refrain from this and avoid.Maybe you should start searching for your own victories--even if minor--then, start marketing (exploiting) those in some constructive manner. I had a lot of aspirations in undergrad & graduate school--I still do; I still have a ton of research that I haven't even gotten to yet in my career. I had great professors during my education (I was super fortunate)--one told me in undergrad: that if I am really dedicated to my academic research then I really won't pay attention to what others are doing--especially distant acquaintances (this was advice regarding the social media "blow up" that was happening during my matriculation & the negative impacts it was having on traditional education). I'm a honors student & I had to learn the value of that advise because I used to want positive attention from people that I've known; but, I learned the most difficult aspect: that most other people don't really care--they're busy marketing themselves. The assertion seems to hold true: that one characteristic of people who are "truly" dedicated to their careers, education & success typically don't pay attention to other people (what other people are doing) because we're too busy learning and preparing. You'll diminish your own personal value & deprecate your own professional/human worth when you pay too much attention to others in the way that you're describing. Unless you're in some legal, economic or academic competition/rivalry (where you'll become some sort of victorious eternal god-emperor); you'll just be wasting your own valuable time, precious energies & attention when you drool in envy over other peoples' accomplishments. I would include some Biblical references here but I don't want to risk censure.

More of LinkedIn in anxiety for me

Reframe your day to day accomplishments. A linkedin post doesn't need an official promotion or startup launch to highlight a success. Finding less "official" successes and thinking of ways to highlight them on your profile will also inadvertently be a practice of gratitude, which is the #1 thing that helps this "comparison is the thief of joy" feeling you're describing.