Your next career opportunity could start with your front-facing camera.
For some LinkedIn creators, selfies and unscripted videos are opening doors that career updates alone did not — from speaking invitations to a new job.
Three LinkedIn professionals told Business Insider that what used to be awkward on a platform where your boss, colleagues, and potential employers are watching is becoming the new norm that those looking to stand out may need to adapt to.
Arielle Berlinsky, the Director of Marketing at Movement Strategy, told Business Insider she started posting on LinkedIn while in a workplace where rules and expectations felt constraining, and LinkedIn became a space to share opinions, humor, and — eventually — her face.
“Even if you’re working for a small company, you have a certain box that you can be kept in or standards you have to uphold,” Berlinsky said, adding that she initially shared photos from work events, then began recording videos about experiences and lessons as they happened.
“The one thing you carry with you everywhere is your face and your name and your personality because that’s the heart of who you are,” Berlinsky said. “I’m so much more than just my job and my title.”
AI is reshaping tactics for how to stand out
As AI makes polished posts easier to produce, some creators say personality can help people connect with the human behind the profile.
Tara Crymble, an account manager at B2B influencer marketing agency Creatorbuzz, told Business Insider that showing her face and speaking on video helps convey something a text post can struggle to capture.
“In this time of AI, it’s so easy for people to get lost in this overly polished, filtered, corporate, or even robotic tone,” Crymble said.
“I think if you’re posting your face or especially video content, you can add in your personality and your quirks into your content, and it just comes across as more genuine,” Crymble added. “And I think that layer of trust is more quickly built.”
LinkedIn has been tightening its approach to AI content, introducing a “Seems like AI slop” feedback option and tools to limit the distribution of generic AI-generated posts.
Jack Appleby, a 37-year-old writer and creator consultant who dubbed himself an “elder millennial” in a conversation with Business Insider, said he is seeing personal photos gain traction and may be changing his tactics after initially building his 90,000 followers on LinkedIn almost exclusively through text posts.
“I think the AI police are out in full force on LinkedIn, maybe more than any other social network,” Appleby said.
“People are more concerned than ever whether something’s made by someone real or made by AI,” Appleby added. “I think people want connection, and maybe it’s time I let people get to know who I am as much as the way that I think.”
Gen Zers are emerging as the leading voices on LinkedIn
Courtesy of Tara Crymble
Crymble once used LinkedIn like a traditional résumé for job announcements. But last December, when she began sharing what she was doing and learning as a recent graduate, including her face and voice, Crymble said her following grew from roughly 1,000 to 6,000, and her posts have generated more than 250,000 impressions.
“Not only was I getting opportunities such as speaking and media and opportunities to be in rooms that I wouldn’t have originally had the chance to have, but I also received my current job,” Crymble said. “I found that out through my LinkedIn presence and connecting with the team.”
Berlinsky said her posts have earned millions of impressions and helped her build a community of over 55,000 people.
Berlinsky and Crymble both said they participate in LinkedIn’s Next Gen Voices program, an invitation-only, 12-week cohort for Gen Z creators that offers opportunities to test features, provide feedback, and meet the LinkedIn team.
“This may sound crass, but generally, if you know how to dress and present yourself, it’s probably worth putting your face out there so people know who you are,” Appleby said.
“Most data I see, and people are often not comfortable hearing this, says it’s often the most well-kept people or the most conventionally attractive people who get promotions in the workplace,” Appleby added.
Advice on how to get started
Courtesy of Arielle Berlinsky
For those who are not social media natives like more Gen Zers, the young creators have tips on how to get unstuck on LinkedIn.
“I’ve seen a lot of creators that fully embrace themselves, whether that be their interests or personality,” said Crymble. “In a world of all this AI content, it shines through as relatable and is embraced back.”
Berlinsky recommends starting with a friend who can take photos of you doing something naturally, and practice speaking into the camera as though you’re speaking to one person.
“I’m going to show up and talk as if I’m talking to one person and not try to speak to everyone, not try to cater to everyone,” Berlinsky said, “Consistency matters more than sticking to a single format, so think about the memes and infographics that can also communicate personality.”
“Stop waiting for the ideal lighting or buy that thousand-dollar equipment,” Berlinsky added. “The less you worry about filtering yourself, the less you worry about making it perfect, the more it will translate into success.”
