Once upon a time, in the crowded Forest of LinkedIn, there lived three bears.
Not actual bears, of course.
Career bears.
Each had a very different approach to writing a LinkedIn profile.
In the middle of the forest was LinkieLocks, a career professional trying to stand out in a world where profiles all sound like they were written by the same robot in a blazer.
Welcome to LinkedIn in the age of AI.
Today, professionals have more tools than ever for profiles and branding—but there’s a catch.
Everyone is lost in generic, AI-generated content (beige oatmeal).
Profiles are beginning to sound painfully similar: “Results-driven.” “Strategic thinker.” “Passionate leader.” “Dynamic professional.”
By the tenth profile, recruiters and clients feel like they’re reading the same bland content over and over.
To understand better, let’s walk into the house of the Three Bears and take the LinkedIn Porridge Test.
Papa Bear: “I’ll Just Write It Myself”
Papa Bear believes he can figure out LinkedIn on his own.
No strategy. No keyword research. No outside perspective. No understanding of how LinkedIn search visibility works.
Just vibes.
His headline says: “Experienced Professional Seeking Opportunities.”
His About section reads like a chronological autobiography mixed with a 2009 performance review.
He lists duties rather than achievements. He undersells his value. He forgets that LinkedIn is not merely a resume online.
It is:
- a branding platform,
- a networking tool,
- a search engine,
- a visibility engine,
- and often a first impression before a conversation ever happens.
Papa Bear’s porridge is too cold.
Not because he lacks talent.
Because most professionals are simply too close to themselves to write strategically about their own value.
Many career professionals struggle to answer:
- What keywords matter most?
- What differentiates me?
- What problems do I solve?
- How do I sound credible without sounding arrogant?
- How do I position myself for where I want to go instead of where I’ve been?
Writing your profile alone might save money now, but it can slow down opportunities if you lack positioning, discoverability, or clarity, and it often takes more time. You don’t know what you don’t know.
Mama Bear: “AI Will Do Everything”
Mama Bear has fully surrendered to artificial intelligence.
She copied her resume into ChatGPT. Pressed Enter. And pasted the entire output directly into LinkedIn.
Immediately, her profile became: polished, grammatically correct, and emotionally flavorless.
AI is an incredible tool.
I use AI.
But AI without strategy, customization, collaboration, and human insight often results in what I call Beige LinkedIn Syndrome.
The sea of sameness.
AI is trained on massive amounts of existing content, which often results in safe, generic, and predictable language.
That is why so many profiles now sound interchangeable.
AI can help:
- accelerate brainstorming,
- improve structure,
- identify missing keywords,
- organize ideas,
- and reduce writing overwhelm.
But AI does not truly know:
- your personality,
- your leadership style,
- your career story,
- your differentiators,
- your audience,
- or the emotional nuance behind your accomplishments.
AI cannot fully capture:
- the entrepreneur who built trust with clients,
- the job seeker reinventing themselves after a layoff,
- or the employed professional quietly preparing for a promotion.
Without human input, AI often generates content that’s technically correct but easily forgotten.
In Mama Bear’s case, the porridge is too hot.
Too much AI. Not enough humanity.
Baby Bear: “Let’s Build This Together”
Then, LinkieLocks discovered another option – Baby Bear’s approach.
Not anti-AI. Not anti-technology. Not anti-efficiency.
Strategic collaboration.
This approach combines:
- AI tools,
- human storytelling,
- keyword strategy,
- branding expertise,
- coaching,
- and personalization.
This is where the magic happens, and the profile becomes more colorful and authentic.
Because a strong LinkedIn profile is not just about writing.
It is about positioning.
A collaborative coaching process helps professionals evaluate:
- the right keywords for visibility,
- the right branding for credibility,
- the right tone for their audience,
- the right accomplishments to highlight,
- and the right strategy for future goals.
For example:
The Job Seeker
A job seeker may need:
- stronger ATS-aligned keywords,
- clearer accomplishment statements with metrics,
- a more targeted headline,
- and a profile that tells a reinvention story instead of sounding desperate.
The Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur may need:
- authority positioning,
- niche clarity,
- client-focused messaging,
- thought leadership visibility,
- and a profile that converts profile viewers into conversations.
The Employed Professional
An employed professional may need:
- executive presence,
- internal visibility,
- promotion positioning,
- strategic networking,
- and a profile aligned with future leadership goals.
The goal is not to sound like everyone else.
The goal is to sound like the strongest, clearest, most strategic version of YOU.
That is why the best LinkedIn profiles today are not written entirely by humans OR entirely by AI.
They are built collaboratively.
With strategy. With nuance. With storytelling. With keywords. With coaching. With technology used intelligently instead of blindly.
Baby Bear’s porridge?
Just right.
The Real Lesson from the Forest of LinkedIn
Your LinkedIn profile should not read like:
- a job description,
- an AI-generated corporate template,
- or a beige bowl of professional oatmeal.
It should communicate:
- your value,
- your credibility,
- your personality,
- your expertise,
- your direction,
- and your brand.
In a world where AI can generate words instantly, human differentiation becomes even MORE valuable.
Because recruiters do not hire keywords alone. Clients do not buy generic. People connect with people.
The professionals who will stand out are the ones who learn how to combine: AI efficiency + human authenticity + strategic positioning.
That combination is the real “just right” formula.
And unlike the original Goldilocks story, nobody has to get eaten by bears in the process.
Final Thought
If your LinkedIn profile currently feels:
- too vague,
- too robotic,
- too generic,
- too outdated,
- or too difficult to tackle alone,
You do not have to figure it out on your own.
AI is a tool. Not a replacement for your voice, strategy, or story.
The goal is not to remove the human from career branding.
Use technology wisely while ensuring your individuality, values, and authentic story always shine through. That combination is how you build a truly standout professional brand on LinkedIn.
Ready to see if your LinkedIn profile passes The Porridge Test? Book your complimentary discovery call now to explore how collaborative coaching paired with strategic AI can fast-track your career branding so you’ll finally stand out from everyone else in the forest.
NEXT STEPS
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AUTHOR BIO
Lynne M. Williams is the Executive Director of the Great Careers Network, a volunteer-run 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides career development and networking connections for 1) job seekers in career transition, including veterans, and 2) employed and self-employed individuals for career management.
Aside from writing keyword-focused content for ATS resumes and LinkedIn profiles, Lynne is a contributing author on “Applying to Positions” inFind Your Fit: A Practical Guide to Landing the Job You Love, along with the late Dick Bolles, the author of What Color is Your Parachute?, and is also a speaker and writer on career topics.