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  • Abbie Bauckham

Linked In: A blessing or a curse?

LinkedIn: The go to social media for lawyers and aspiring lawyers.


Disappointment, failure, unworthy. These are only some of the feelings which I am overwhelmed by when I scroll down LinkedIn. The constant success and highlights of others on their legal journey leave me feeling like a failure. Albeit this runs the risk of me sounding selfish, it is a feeling which I have and one which I cannot control. Whilst I am happy for them, I promise I am, and some are even my good friends, I cannot help but feel that I am failing and am not where I should be. Why do they have Training Contract offers but I do not?


Many have heard and engage with the media discussions centred around the detrimental impacts of Instagram and other social medias like Snapchat and Facebook on young adults’ and childrens’ mental health. Many look to Instagram for self-gratification and often many feel like a ‘failure’ when their post does not reel in a sufficient number of likes.  Something which I am ashamed but certainly am a victim of. Is LinkedIn ever mentioned? The social media for aspiring lawyers and business associates, a social media which many do not even use. No one talks about the feeling of failure which I, surely like many, feel when they do not have success stories and offers to share as content for their LinkedIn.


Networking is essential for all aspiring lawyers, not only to get a feel for a law firm but also to ensure that this is the job you wish to pursue. Networking has both confirmed and highlighted my goal to become a commercial lawyer. The excitement of walking into a law firm which could one day be my place of work is fulfilling but nerve-racking. Ensuring you impress and present your best self. This excitement, like chocolate, becomes a craving. I crave exposure of the commercial environment and a taste of what I hope to become.

Therefore, I am the person who signs up for every event possible to fulfil the thirst whilst also dimming the overwhelming urge to have things to say and share. Whilst, attending is the first step, engagement is the important one. I would use LinkedIn as a way to reflect on an event I had attended and as a way to document my activities. It starts as documentation and ends as competition, a game to impress your virtual connections and most importantly, yourself. A game to keep a constant stream of events which I can reflect on but reveal to the world. Keeping my connections informed and to keep myself brimming with a sense of success.


But what happens when you are away, unable to keep up with the everlasting grind of law school and constant need to network? Standstill. No networking getting me closer to my dreams of being a corporate lawyer. LinkedIn becomes the enemy. A constant feed of others’ success and actions towards getting themselves towards their goal, my goal. This is when it is important to reflect. Reflect on what you are doing, albeit it isn’t exactly what is visible on a constant scroll, constant interactive screen. My year abroad so far, although not completely law centred, has taught me many things which networking cannot. It is the ability to recognise this, which shows success and growth, not the post itself but the reflection.


This is the curse of LinkedIn. So, can it be a blessing in disguise? I am aware that this negative aspect of LinkedIn does not have the same potential positive effect for everyone. I use this feeling of failure and disappointment to motivate me to do and be better. In fact, it was during one of my feelings of failure that I decided that writing a blog post could be beneficial to me, both for my mental ability to overcome these feelings and manage my emotions effectively but also as a method to organise and effectively think about how this year’s applications will be better than the last.

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