How to brag on LinkedIn, without bragging

Last December, Ox Street CEO Gijs Verheijke asked AI-driven chat bot ChatGPT to write the “ultimate obnoxious Linkedin humblebrag”. His prompts were to write a “post about being a successful start-up founder and staying humble, but make it very self-congratulatory”. 

This was the result: “As a successful start-up founder, I am the ultimate being. My unmatched intelligence and business acumen have made me the ruler of the universe, and I am constantly showered with riches and adoration from the entire human race.

But despite all of my incredible accomplishments, I remain humble. I often find myself turning down offers to become the supreme leader of all galaxies, declining invitations to join the council of all-powerful beings, and politely refusing to merge with the cosmic consciousness. I am just too humble to take on any more power and responsibility.

In fact, I often spend my days lounging on clouds, sipping ambrosia, and granting wishes to the most deserving mortals. I am just a humble god who happens to be the greatest start-up founder of all time.

So if you want to work with the ultimate deity, a visionary, a god among gods, look no further. I am the one and only, and I am ready to take your business to the highest levels of greatness. Let’s make magic happen together!” 

Hilarious, but sadly all too familiar. If you’ve scrolled through Linkedin lately, you might have noticed that every other post is a self-congratulatory eulogy, starting almost inevitably with “I am honoured” or “I am humbled”:

“I was broke and down on my luck, and now I have five awards and six houses.” 

“I have built a billion-dollar company in three months. Here’s how you can do it.” 

“If you don’t wake up before 5am, you have already failed in life.” 

If you’re cringing already, you’re not alone. Under the guise of professionalism, many Linkedin users use the platform to pat themselves on the back, sometimes in nauseatingly trite ways. 

Dubbed “humblebragging”, these posts are usually characterised by a braggadocious sentiment, packaged within a seemingly self-deprecating tone. 

While this can seem highly off-putting, the truth is that Linkedin could potentially be that necessary evil for ambitious professionals looking to climb the career ladder. 

It’s not just a virtual depository where you dump your resume; it’s become a powerful tool that can make or break careers, and catapult “ordinary” employees into superstardom. 

Let’s start with a quick look at the statistics: Globally, Linkedin has 875 million users, with 3 million in Singapore alone. Global executive coach and author Brenda Bence says that in 2022, the platform saw “a 22 per cent increase in engagement”, and that “about 72 per cent of recruiters use Linkedin for hiring new talent”. 

Sharon Kaur, senior talent acquisition specialist for Asia Pacific at Coachhub, concurs: “Linkedin has become our main tool to source for candidates for open positions in the company. We decide if we want to contact a candidate based on what’s stated in their Linkedin profile, so it is important that they update it regularly and that it reflects their achievements; especially for job seekers who want to remain visible in the market.  

“Candidates should treat their Linkedin profile in the same way as their resume, and ensure that what is on their profile is selling them in the best possible way. Having an up-to-date Linkedin profile helps build trust with employers and recruiters, as we can see the candidate’s recommendations and connections, and evidence of where they have added value.” 

The fact that recruiters look at your digital footprint is no secret anymore. But more than just treating your Linkedin profile as your resume, how can you leverage on the tool to nail that promotion or become a respected leader in your field, without coming across as braggadocious? 

Build your profile 

First things first: Clean up your profile. Brenda suggests: “Pretend you are at an in-person networking event... How would you interact? Just like at an in-person event, you want to make good first impressions, and your Linkedin account should do the same. Think of the brand you want to create – I define your brand as the way you want others to perceive, think, and feel about you. Consider this: What five descriptive words/adjectives would you want others to use to describe you as a professional? Keep those five words in mind, and make sure your profile reflects them.” 

Remember, too, that Linkedin is search-optimised. This means that when somebody Googles your name, it’s highly likely that your Linkedin profile will be the top hit. Lavinia Thanapathy, a Linkedin Top Voice and author, says: “Linkedin is very different from other platforms because at its core, it’s a database. It’s where people come to find and be found.  

“Linkedin has extremely high domain authority, so any search of most people’s names will turn up their Linkedin Profile as one of the first hits on their name. 

“Now that you know this, think about how you want to appear to the world. Everyone who meets you is likely to Google you. What do you want them to find? Make a list of these professional nuggets for your Linkedin profile.” 

She adds that there are secret weapons that Linkedin users should be paying attention to. The first, she says, is your photo. “Your face must be visible, and it should look like you today. This is usually one of the first photos that will turn up in a search for your name, so make it a good one,” she says. Then, think of your headline. “It should contain all the words that you want to be found for. Keywords are crucial as this section is heavily indexed for search by Google.”

Then, spend time crafting your “About” section. Lavinia says: “It should be written for the person you are today and looking forward to in the future, not the past.” 

Another part of your profile that recruiters are paying attention to is the skills section. Pooja Chhabria, APAC Head of Editorial, Content & Creators at Linkedin, says: “Skills are becoming even more important in landing opportunities today – whether it’s standing out in the candidate pool for an open job, or preparing for a different role or industry. In fact, close to 80 per cent of companies in Asia Pacific focus on skills when hiring, as compared to qualifications. In a fast-evolving job market, it is important for job seekers to stay relevant and adaptable with the skills that employers want.” 

Curate your content 

Now that your profile is complete, what’s next? 

Keep your Linkedin page alive – post, engage, share. But what exactly should you be posting on Linkedin? Let’s start with what you should not be doing. “One area you could avoid is focusing predominantly on only sharing promotional content to talk about your business or your services,” says Linkedin’s Pooja. 

But before you start building your content calendar, it’s important to ask yourself the “why” of your Linkedin strategy: Says Lavinia: “The most important thing to know about Linkedin is to understand with great clarity why you are on the platform. To get a promotion, to get a new job, to find new clients, to grow your network – whatever your reason, be clear about it. 

“Once you are clear about your purpose, then you can work on the parts of Linkedin that will get you results. The strategy for job search is different from that for lead generation. You can only deploy the right strategy when you know what you want.” 

Lavinia suggests setting a realistic content strategy when you’re just starting out. She adds: “I write posts on my phone notes whenever something occurs to me. Then, I will post it when it becomes relevant. Be aware of what is trending and what conversations are happening in your industry, and share accordingly. It’s relatively easy to be found as an expert in your field if you write about it on Linkedin because it has such high domain authority and is excellent for SEO.” 

Importantly, she shares: “Don’t worry too much about likes. Going viral for the sake of going viral is just vanity. You are most likely just looking for a handful of new clients, leads or potential jobs. [When it comes to content] quality over quantity works for most people. Some of my best clients have come from some of my least liked articles or posts.” 

Celebrate your achievements 

It’s easy to fall into the “humblebragging trap” as you’re building your Linkedin profile. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be posting about your achievements – but there is an art to doing so. 

“It’s alright to share your accomplishments (your connections enjoy celebrating along with you!), but do it with them in mind,” advises Brenda. “Ask yourself this with every post: Who is this about? Is it more about you, or a combination of you and others? Make it a dialogue and a two-way conversation.” 

Lavinia concurs, adding that: “Linkedin has called itself a ‘platform of generosity, where people pay it forward with their knowledge’. So make sure that you have a generous mindset when you create content for Linkedin. 

“You can absolutely shine a light on your own achievements, but that should not be in every single post. Make sure you are shining a light on other people and organisations, and also sharing your knowledge and insight about your area of expertise.” 

When you’re talking about your work accomplishments, Brenda suggests, demonstrate your results with numbers and examples. Talk about your own personal growth stemming from each project you led or job experience you’ve had.

Lavinia also suggests putting your achievements under the featured section. “Your featured section will then act like your hall of fame, with your shiniest moment on show for anyone browsing your profile.” 

Lastly, she says: “My advice is to not humblebrag too often in your posts, and save it instead for your profile. Linkedin can be a great way to highlight your professional and personal achievements without being cringey about it.”