We all know the type of post. A grainy family beach photo with a 500-word caption about resilience. An open letter to a spouse that somehow turns into a leadership lesson. LinkedIn can feel like Facebook with a tie on, and honestly, it’s tempting to roll your eyes and log off.

But here’s the thing. Ignoring LinkedIn until you desperately need it is a bigger mistake than any overshare. Because by the time you’re miserable at work - or worse, unemployed - you’ve missed the window. LinkedIn isn’t a last-minute fix. It's the long game.

Before anyone hires you, works with you, or even replies to your email, they Google you. Nine times out of ten, your LinkedIn shows up first. And if it’s outdated, half-filled, or clearly neglected, it says more than you think. A blank profile doesn’t signal humility, it signals that you don’t take your professional presence seriously. Fair or not, that’s how others will take it too.

But beyond the first impression, LinkedIn is where opportunities live quietly. Not every job is advertised. A lot of the good ones, the roles you didn’t know existed, or the ones designed around the right person, are filled through DMs and casual check-ins. If your profile’s cold and your presence is silent, you’re invisible to the people who might want to reach out.

And here’s something people don’t talk about enough. LinkedIn is a reputation builder. It’s a space to share how you think, what you’re learning, and what matters to you in your industry. You don’t need to write essays or publish hot takes. A good comment here, a shared article there, it all adds up. You become someone who shows up. And when you do that consistently, people start to pay attention. 

The truth is, networking works best when you don’t need anything. When you're already showing interest, cheering others on, offering thoughts without expectation. If you only show up when you need a favour, people can feel it and it doesn’t feel good. Of course, staying active on LinkedIn isn’t about posting daily or turning into a thought leader. It’s about staying visible. Staying findable. It’s about making sure that when luck shows up - or when you need a door to open - you’re already standing in the right hallway.

So yes, LinkedIn might be a little cringey at times. But ignoring it completely? That’s not low-key. That’s low-reward.