Since When Did LinkedIn Become So Personal — And Is That a Good Thing?

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Milton Jannusch
Jul 21
3 min read

You may have seen the headlines: The CEO of Astronomer — a data company most of us hadn’t heard of until this week — went viral, not for a funding round or product launch, but for something entirely different:

💥 A very public workplace affair, involving his Head of People, exposed not by media, but by a wave of LinkedIn commentary, screenshots, and speculation.

And suddenly, a platform built for professional updates was filled with:

Think pieces on HR ethics
Threads about trust and leadership
Memes and screenshots with millions of impressions
And a lot of people wondering:👉 “Since when did LinkedIn become the new Facebook?”

At Pro Property London, we spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. It’s where we connect with letting agents, suppliers, and clients. But we couldn’t help but stop and ask:

🧠 Has LinkedIn changed — and is that a bad thing?

📈 The Shift: From Business Buzzwords to Life Lessons

Not long ago, LinkedIn was known for:

Job updates
Company news
Polished leadership insights
And the occasional sales pitch disguised as a humblebrag

Now?

You’ll find:

Posts about grief, divorce, and dating
Candid mental health stories
“I got fired” journeys with thousands of likes
And viral moments — like the Astronomer scandal — dominating feeds

It’s easy to ask: Has LinkedIn lost the plot? Or is it simply evolving with the times?

🤔 Why This Shift Is Happening

Here’s our take:

Work and life have blurred The pandemic, remote work, and burnout culture made it clear — our jobs affect our mental health, relationships, and self-worth. LinkedIn became a place to share the whole story, not just the headline.
Authenticity performs Posts with vulnerability often get more engagement than corporate updates. So, people share more of themselves.
Everyone's a brand now Whether you're a CEO, a clerk, or a contractor — how you present yourself online matters. And in a competitive market, being real is the new professional.

🛠️ But Is That a Good Thing?

Yes — and no.

✅ The Pros:

More humanity in business People buy from people, not logos. Real stories build trust.
More accessibility Not everyone has a PR team. LinkedIn has levelled the playing field.
Important conversations Topics like workplace ethics, mental health, and burnout need space in the business world.

❌ The Cons:

Oversharing for engagement Some posts feel more like performative vulnerability than meaningful contribution.
Misplaced content There’s a difference between personal insight and something better suited to another platform.
Brand risk One viral post (or scandal) can reshape public perception instantly — as Astronomer just learned.

💡 So, What’s the Right Balance?

At Pro Property London, we believe LinkedIn shouldn’t be sterile — but it should still be intentional.

Share stories. Share failures. Share personality.

But ask:

✅ Is this helpful to my professional network?

✅ Does this build credibility or connection?

✅ Am I adding to the conversation — or just chasing clicks?

You can be real without oversharing. You can be vulnerable without being messy. And you can go viral — for the right reasons.

📍 The Lettings Industry and LinkedIn

For agents, suppliers, and property professionals:🔹 LinkedIn remains an incredible tool for building your voice, growing your network, and attracting clients or talent.🔹 But your digital reputation is now part of your brand. And how you show up matters more than ever.

Our advice?