Editorial Team
When something wonderful happens, it’s natural to want to shout it from the rooftops. This is especially true professionally when you have to put in the work and finally get the promotion you deserve.
It’s natural to want to post photos of your shiny corner office and sing the praises of your newly-minted title on social media, but marketing yourself on LinkedIn requires more finesse. Not only that, the way you present yourself on this platform may help you land your next job in the future.
Whether you’ve been out of the job market and are looking to get back in or are trying to determine the best way to highlight your hard work, here’s how to show a promotion on LinkedIn.
Should You Even Use LinkedIn to Share Your Promotion?
In a word, absolutely.
LinkedIn is a powerful tool when it comes to highlighting your professional achievements. This targeted social media platform helps you connect with others in a related industry, grow current work connections, and follow interesting people in your field.
It’s also a great place to document your progress in your field, acting like an online CV. Every time you add to your accomplishments, you’re adding to your digital footprint. Prospective future employers get to see a timeline of your work, and LinkedIn job offers may follow.
Even if you’re perfectly happy at your job (hello, new promotion!), sharing your promotion on LinkedIn also:
- Demonstrates pride in professional accomplishments
- Outlines your growth in your industry
- Positions you for future opportunities in your company
Announcing your promotion on LinkedIn allows you to stand out and document your good work in a way that fosters better connections in your LinkedIn network.
Timing Is Everything
Some people are eager to log on and share the news the day they find out. This is not the best way to handle promotion for various reasons.
- Until the ink on the contract is dry, the job’s not yours — no matter how convincing the offer was.
- You may not fully understand the job’s duties yet and aren’t in a good position to share them online.
- Your new company (or new boss) may need to iron out details on their end. If this includes firing the previous tenant of your job, announcing your promotion before that’s handled puts everyone in a tricky (and uncomfortable) position.
Generally speaking, it’s best to wait at least a week after your contract is signed before sharing your promotion on LinkedIn. Two weeks might even be better.
The Nuts and Bolts: How To Add Your Promotion
LinkedIn makes it easy to update your CV to highlight your recent promotion.
Adding the Promotion
- Start by signing into your LinkedIn account.
- Head to your profile by clicking on your profile picture.
- Scroll down to “Experience.”
- Click on the “+” symbol.
- Add your details. Be as complete as you can. This is why it pays to wait at least a week before adding your promotion — you’ll have a better idea of what the job entails.
- Select “End current position” if that applies.
- Don’t forget to save your changes before you log out.
This process is the same whether you add your promotion to LinkedIn on your phone, laptop, or desktop computer.
Changing Your Job Title
You’ll need to change the job title displayed on your profile, too.
- Log into your account.
- Open your profile page.
- Enter the Experience section
- Locate the position you are editing, then click on the pencil icon to the right of it.
- Delete the old title, and add the new one. You can customize the headline here and also edit other details (e.g., description and start date).
- Save your changes.
Sharing Your Promotion with Your Network
Now the fun part: sharing your promotion with your network! It’s easy to make a quick announcement, and this is how to show a promotion on LinkedIn.
- From your account, open the new job you want to share and click the pencil icon.
- In the Edit window, scroll to the “Notify network” section on click the toggle button to on.
- Don’t forget to save this change to send the notification.
Regarding how to show a promotion on LinkedIn, this is the quickest way to let your network know you’re doing great things, but you have other options, too.
Make a Public Post
This short blurb appears on your profile. It shows up for your network when they scroll through their feeds, but others not in your network can see it, too.
Write an Article
If you’re good friends with the written word, this might be the best way to share your news. Writing and publishing an article on LinkedIn lets you get specific about your new role.
Link To Another Web Page
If your company does a great job recognizing employee promotions online, linking to that page is a slam dunk. This drives traffic to their site (a bonus) while highlighting your news on your LinkedIn feed.
Capitalize on Varied Media
These days video is key, and pictures are a close second. Video is another tool to connect with your network more personally.
Connect To Other Platforms
LinkedIn connects easily to Twitter and Instagram. When it comes to how to show a promotion on LinkedIn, you’ll want to make sure these two platforms don’t have any content you don’t want those in your professional network to see beforehand.
How To Navigate Sharing a New Job on LinkedIn
If your promotion means you’ll need to relocate or leave your current company, there are a few things to keep in mind.
- Don’t allow a new promotion to interfere with your current work.
- Do highlight how your prior experiences have been instrumental in your professional development — even if it has been less than ideal.
- Don’t offer details of a new salary or elaborate on why you’re leaving one company for another.
- Do focus on how you might build upon the skills you’ve acquired at your old company to grow the new one.
In short, keep your announcement positive and professional.
Promotion = Relocation?
A promotion that requires relocating comes with its own set of challenges. These are separate from announcing your promotion on LinkedIn but top-of-mind as you figure out how to find a realtor if you need to sell your home and buy another in your new city.
Set a Budget
Budgeting for a move is critical, especially if there is a lag time between your old job and your new one. You might take this as an opportunity to make better money management a priority. Evaluate where you are financially — and where you want to be a year from now. Use this bird’s-eye budget to make choices as you move forward.
Choose the Right People to Help
You might need to make an offer on a house out of state, and you’ll need someone who knows how to navigate a tricky transaction. However, it’s possible to stick to that budget and find an affordable realtor with the skills you need to make your relocation for promotion as smooth as possible.
Say Goodbye Properly
Don’t treat your former colleagues like the electric company or your cable service. They shouldn’t be on a generic list of who to notify when you move. Take the time to have lunch or coffee with colleagues you respect. This is especially important if you work in a close-knit industry. Your reputation for personal attention (or not) will precede you.
The Bottom Line
LinkedIn marketing is a powerful tool for sharing your professional accomplishments, but it does require some finesse. Take the time to be mindful about what you share to foster strong, lasting professional connections that travel with you no matter where you go. Hopefully, these tips on how to show a promotion on LinkedIn will help you stand out from your colleagues.