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Inside the LinkedIn Complaint Box: I’m a Nepo Baby, Baby! 

Your wealthy dad hired you 11 minutes after you graduated. Why is r/linkedincringe so irritated about it?
May 21, 2024

BEWARE! Here’s your sixth weekly dive into LinkedIn’s feed of completely voluntary, variably professional, and [potentially] relevant self-publishing. Your wealthy dad hired you 11 minutes after you graduated, for example. 

Here’s the question: Why would or wouldn’t you post the familial origin of your job opportunity on LinkedIn? Why is r/linkedincringe so irritated about it?

Answer: This one’s really loaded. It’s your public resume, do what you want with it. You know where we stand – networking is about real relationships and the reciprocity, help, and opportunities that flow from them. Does LinkedIn facilitate more or less of these relationships today?

It’s unclear (in spite of our bias), but we just had to dig into this post. Here’s what all the fuss is about. 

“Boy, I wish I was born rich”

In case you missed it, the internet has a trend consisting of: 

  • A growing demographic of LinkedIn users who leverage the platform for a public resume, job search, brand building, marketing, sales and more. 
  • A gaggle of people on Reddit who like to make fun of them. 

Both fascinate us because networking isn’t in good shape right now and we’re here to fix it. So let’s see what’s what. 

User Funny-Panda-6778 kicks off the firestorm by pointing out that he, like so many of us, wishes he was born rich in this post. Coming in at 183 upvotes and 14 comments as of this writing, one person’s family opportunity really got under some skins:

LinkedIn Networking Alternative Blog Image 1

We’re not here to tell you what to think, but there's one fundamental truth none of us can escape: everyone gets dealt a different hand of cards in life. Born in America is a pretty solid start; born to an established wealth management executive in Florida also has its perks. We bet they have a boat.

From the outside looking in, it’s easy to cast some stones this person’s direction and Reddit didn’t hold back. We have our own thoughts, and we’ll get to them. 

But in the meantime…as your trusted referees and seasoned curators of Reddit commentary, let’s see how the critics responded.

Critical Comments

For the first time ever in Inside the LinkedIn Complaint Box (ITLICB), Reddit had a fairly balanced reaction to this post. Aside from the abundant upvotes who ostensibly agree, the comments actually represent both sides of the argument. 

Topping the upvotes, user Jonno_FTW points out a very subtle insight, intended or not:

LinkedIn Networking Alternative Blog Image 2

Put your thinking cap on. Jonno’s right. In so many ways. First, it’s a funny comment likely intended to point out how some folks just have an easier path than others. That’s inevitably true – some folks just have it easier. 

On the other hand, being a nepo baby can be really, really, REALLY tough and somebody does have to do it. The stereotypes work in the other direction, too:

  • Nothing’s ever good enough
  • You’ll always be a disappointment
  • I did it the hard way
  • You’ve had everything handed to you
  • You maxed out the AmEx again, you twerp
  • Etc etc etc
LinkedIn Networking Alternative Blog gif never good enough

For example, we know an entrepreneur who joined his dad’s business by (for years!) mowing the property lawn, trimming the bushes, and earning JUST enough to buy a minority share. His dad had no faith him him. We know another who had to do every job at the company for six months (each job!). Welding, fabricating, estimating, installing, delivering, accounting, marketing, and on and on.

Maybe money isn’t this nepo baby's problem, but maybe any number of other things are. All that to say, it ain’t always what it seems.

Users naughtygrl69420, InsouciantBadger, and Illinois2015 struck up an interesting thread: 

LinkedIn Networking Alternative embarrassment Blog Image

Hmmm. Maybe. Personally, we'd like to have this decision to make but life just didn't go that way.

Regardless, here’s the thing about punching up in this manner: the people you’re punching don’t care. 

  • First, they’re laughing — literally — all the way to the bank. 
  • Second, it really just shines a negative light on your apparent envy.
  • Third, what choice does this person have as a LinkedIn user? Publicly scorn his/her father’s successful business by not giving them a shoutout?

Don’t get us wrong, we’re not sure what function posts like these serve in the greater pursuit of growing your real network. But, things being what they are and LinkedIn being a place for public resume announcements, we’re more with the nepo baby than his/her critics at this point. 

Moving on: user Odd_Newspaper_3589 may have been a bit drunk, hyperbolic in their critique, or both:

LinkedIn Networking Alternative Blog Image disaster of a human being

C’mon now. Again, you’re showing yourself to be a small person if you can’t be happy for other people, regardless of their fortune’s origin. The LinkedIn poster pursued a track and admirably finished it:

  • Undergrad: doable but not easy
  • MBA: definitely not easy, even at the worst program
  • Summer analyst position at a big corp: dreadful, most likely

From our perspective, networking is all about who you know and trust — and the reciprocal opportunities that spring forth. Who does this person know better than their dad?!

Note to self: get Elon to adopt me as his 17th child. 

Here’s where the balance starts to come in. User Ryu-tetsu points out:

LinkedIn Networking Alternative Blog Image JP Morgan in Florida is pretty good

First, Ryu-tetsu offers a kind shoutout, then wishes them well. Can we just take a minute to celebrate this from our friends at Reddit? Sorry, five minutes. It deserves five. 

Then, we have one brave soul. ONE hero did the unthinkable, mentioned the unmentionable. User kjhgfd84 quipped:

LinkedIn Networking Alternative Blog Image reddit people are bitter in this thread

And for his/her heroism, candidness, and moxy, this comment received one downvote. We canceled it out to show the love and get them back to zero. Here’s proof:

upvoting LinkedIn Networking Alternative Blog Image reddit people are bitter in this thread

What does any of this have to do with networking? Honestly, nothing we can see.  

You want to know people, and people want to know you. How can we make those connections more consistently and add value to each other’s lives? Why does this have to be so difficult? **shrugs**

Funniest Comment

Comedy is our weakness, and we just couldn’t let this article conclude without acknowledging one hilariously misinformed comment from user yesthatbruce

LinkedIn Networking Alternative Blog Image nobody is a self-made rich person?

Well in that case, Bruce, let’s do a public service announcement and let everyone know the American Dream bought the farm. There’s no hope for us. We’re the same as everywhere else in the world who, wait a minute, would DO ANYTHING to get to America?!? Bruce are you nuts!?

We offer a contrasting statement: anyone can [just about] achieve anything they set their mind to, be it financial, relational, career, athletic, health, etc etc etc. 

Just don’t give up. In fact, start networking like a smart person to witness support and opportunities come out of nowhere. 

How do Smart People Network?

They get business allies by building real relationships, one on one and in person. One deep relationship opens multiple doors to more, which opens doors to more, and so on. 

In fact, to support real networking, we’re building the only app where one-on-one, in-person networking is the expectation, not the exception. You just can’t find that anywhere else. 

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