If you think about Linkedin as a place to head when you need a new job, you are missing the boat. Completely. You need to think about LinkedIn less like a digital resume and more like a dating app. This week, Erin and Nicole dive deep into Nicole's profile as a proxy for helping you to understand the power of LinkedIn and the small changes you can make to ensure you stand out and maximize its value for you. Of course, this is all done with a healthy dose of humor and sarcasm (we'll just say "sorry" ahead of time to all the career HR professionals out there.) Before they hit LinkedIn though, Erin Hatzikostas and Nicole Licata Grant discuss the authentic epiphanies they had as it related to the U.S Presidential election. They think about how important it's becoming that political figures, no matter which side of the aisle, need to come across authentically for people to connect with them and vote for them. They also discuss the passing of Alex Trebek, and the nostalgic loss that it is for so many people. If you had fifteen hours of Zoom calls would you still want to cook dinner, or would you settle for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for the third day in a row? You can guess which one Nicole chose. Nicole talks about how she is dealing with work at the moment. Does it feel like you're stuck in Groundhog Day too? You might not be so alone. Erin follows this by explaining some changes that are happening at her old workplace, and the realization she had about the extreme value she has placed on creating her own business and making a real impact beyond a corporate paycheck. Moving the conversation back to Nicole's LinkedIn profile. Erin talks about how the platform is more "real" than you might want it to be. That it's really important to treat it like a 3D world vs. just an online resume or CV. Erin discusses how to effectively use LinkedIn, including the biggest mistake people make: waiting until they need a new job to use the platform. She talks about how you should be engaging with it regularly to maximize your potential opportunities.  They talk through building a successful profile and presence on LinkedIn. What should your photo look like? How to approach writing your bio. Erin talks about how to use humility to anchor your moments of success. After the profile section, they move on to discuss how to be active on LinkedIn in a way that sees your network grow through engagement. Do more than just like a post, comment on it. Be thoughtful, ask questions, write your own posts. Erin then talks about how to write stories on LinkedIn, and the exponential benefits it can open up for you without you even realizing it. the LinkedIn algorithms mean that your posts can stay "alive" for weeks, and the more you interact on LinkedIn the Longer that happens for. And lastly, Erin's book, You do You(ish), is available for preorder! Pre-order You Do You(ish) Follow Nicole on LinkedIn:   Follow Erin on LinkedIn:   If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration! Here are some options... Check out the b BRILLIANT career coaching program @   b Cause Podcast Facebook group @   We even share more crazy stuff here (you probably thought that was impossible). Take our simple, fun and insightful "What Kind of Dog Are You At Work?" by going to   We have so much fun stuff going on...we wouldn't want you to miss out - join the authenticity movement and our community by adding your email just about anywhere @   Check out our blog for more of our no-BS career advice @   We have fun and inspiring t-shirts @ DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences.  Tweetable Comments: "People say 'she's showing us what women can do.' But no, she's showing us what authenticity can do." "Authenticity is gender neutral, advantage women." "I ate Reece's Peanut Butter Cups for dinner three days this week." "I think it might be a dog treadmill." "I feel like I'm stuck in Groundhog Day a little bit." "My goal isn't to be ok ith making less doing what I love, my goal is to do something I love and make more." "An entrepreneur should be consistently raising their own value." "If you start to think about LinkedIn when it's time to find a new job, you are way too frickin' late." "No great jobs come from the sausage factory process." "You should be writing your LinkedIn profile like you've had one glass of wine." "The problem with these buzzwords is no one is going to actually read it. There's nothing exciting, there's nothing funny. "If you have time to scroll through Facebook, you have time to scroll through LinkedIn. You just have to cultivate yourself a bit more." "You need to put value in, before you get value back out."