this post was submitted on 22 Mar 2025
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Is there a FOSS Linkedin alternative? (self.opensource)
submitted 1 day ago by werefreeatlast to c/[email protected]
27 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I suspect that since a quarter of my fellow co-workers got the pink slip a few weeks ago, tat I too will get one soon. I haven't updated my resume in a while and would love if there was a self hosted LinkedIn alternative or something. Anyone got any idea if that's a thing yet?

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 19 hours ago

The closest thing to foss LinkedIn would be the repos, forums, and chats for open source projects. Some of them have other dedicated channels for jobs other times it's you know this person and they see you are looking for work and they tell their friends. There is not a drop in replacement for LinkedIn that is open source. The biggest value of LinkedIn is a network effect so even if it did exist not using LinkedIn would make finding a new job harder since you couldn't find opportunities that are only posted on LinkedIn.

Side note LinkedIn is gross they serve ads in your dms and notifications

[–] [email protected] 88 points 1 day ago (4 children)

It will never be a thing. The capitalists would never allow it. Also HR professionals are like, the lowest level of teeeechnically undergrad-level educated communications majors. They're not going to fuck with some activitypub shit. These people are barely smart enough to not drown in the rain.

[–] helpImTrappedOnline 21 points 1 day ago (1 children)

And remember these are the same people handling all your personal info on the computer :)

At least mine knows how to password protect emails...and then sends me the password in a separate email. Its not a fail, but I wouldn't call it a success either.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

I got my company to start using bitwarden. That was a huge step and 1/4 of the company forgot their password in the first 60 days. I sent a big email detailing how to make a mnemonic device with a passphrase that bitwarden generates 😂 complete with photoshop drawings on one i generated. no forgotten passwords since

[–] helpImTrappedOnline 1 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (1 children)

How many set their password to your example? They just look up the password when they forget.

Its cool you got them using bitwarden, I should probably get my company to switch, I know there's a PDF company account passwords floating around....but I'm pretty low on the totem pole.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

Well, I didn't think anyone would be dumb enough to do that, but you might be right...

I am also very low. I just pretty much let someone else take credit for it so that it would actually be taken to management.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago

Could be a thing among FOSS projects

[–] SpaceNoodle 4 points 1 day ago

I know one smart recruiter. She is so refreshing to work with.

[–] aleq 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

ok, but what about the selling point for recruitment firms that "you don't need to pay $190 a month to unlock Sales Navigator Advanced for each of your recruiters"? or is that perhaps a feature, sorting out the weeds who can't afford the monthly fee?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago

$190/month tax deducted is NOTHING for a firm making $30k/role filled at the bottom end. You don't really care about those kinds of low-level tax deductible expenses while you're profitable. This is why no businesses switch to LibreOffice on cost grounds, even though it's fine and saves hundreds per year per seat on a contract for Office.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Technically you can use anything for job networking, it's not necessary for it to be"designed" for networking.

A Lemmy instance about your industry/niche could be a good place to meet people in your industry, and even hire ppl or search for ppl hiring.

[–] werefreeatlast 1 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

I think this is a good point. Another person made a similar comment. And I it totally makes sense. Like I could serve my resume on my personal website and then just link it to a short description on a Lemmy instance or channel that was relevant.

That makes it at least a little harder for data scrubbing bots to get my info when I'm not looking for a job. I can just take my resume off line. With kinked in you basically come to the employee store, find a shelve and you permanently glue your resume there hoping that someone would call you. So all your info is right there for any phishing to take place later.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 15 hours ago

Yeah for real I feel like if I log back into LinkedIn and update my profile I start suddenly getting more spam lol

As far as networking you've got the right idea, there's no reason to rely solely on designated networking sites for it.

Start with literally anyone you know (close friends and family) and go from there :)

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I'd say a fair idea is to host your own personal website with your resume, if you're capable and/or want to learn. There are often examples you can base your portfolio on.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 20 hours ago

This is what i did. There are many static website generators that can help. I use Hugo which let's me write in markdown, download themes (modify if i want), and it builds the site which can be hosted for free on codeberg/cloudflare/gitlab/github 'pages' feature. All support letting you use custom domain if you have one.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Plus, one could start for free; it doesn't need to be yourusername [dot] com!

Hmm, now that makes me wonder if there's such a thing as a FOSS web host—as open as one could be, anyway...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago)

Codeberg pages comes to mind (for a simple personal site anyway)

[–] whatwhatwhatwhat 2 points 1 day ago

I think the best you could do would be to install a FOSS OS, a FOSS web server, and use a FOSS page builder or content manager.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 20 hours ago

shlinkedin \s

seriously i am not sure if linkedin is more insightful then linkedin.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I think that because of the heavily corporate nature of what it's used for and the fact that it requires certain corporate users to be on it, there will not be anything close to a FOSS LinkedIn for a very long time.

From an implementation standpoint LinkedIn is more or less just social media. I don't think hiring managers will switch their tactics over to a FOSS platform without a very strong push over a long period of time. while corporate nonsense may be pushing us that way, that same bs is a boon to them if anything.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I get the sentiment,
however when the user base of a FOSS alternative grows beyond the closed source alternative, a switch can happen.

So it would be a good thing to have a FOSS alternative out there, which can accumulate a user base over time.

Without any alternatives being developed,
a switch can never happen.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago

Well I'm not trying to argue against one being written, just that once it is written, it will still not be what it was made to be.

LinkedIn is defined by its user base of recruiters and corporations, which draws in professionals seeking jobs. It becomes a cycle, but importantly for this conversation, it is controlled by recruiters.

This is in contrast to any other social media where regular people draw in more regular people. A FOSS LinkedIn will not only have the network effect to fight, but it will also be up against the will of corporations, not just the slow buildup of users.

I guess another way to put it is a FOSS LinkedIn cannot grow with a few users joining here and there. You have to convince Amazon to move over first.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

Somebody started this project a while back but I don't think it's live any more https://github.com/Flockingbird

[–] m4m4m4m4 6 points 1 day ago

You know, besides the funny/cute/interesting videos that made it to its home page that I save to show them to my mother, the only other reason I haven't deleted Reddit yet is the r/forhire sub.

Of course, not a Linkedin alternative per se, but it seems to me there have been people that has found full time jobs thanks to that sub. I've had the chance to get some small gigs and earn some extra bucks working for great people (and being scammed by awful people in other "similar" subs, but that's another story).

I was bummed when I got here and found out there are some similar communities here but with almost no subscriptors and no posts whatsoever.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 day ago (2 children)

isn't XING just that? i only recently heard of it but haven't checked it out so far

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

@AEGIS2317 @werefreeatlast
XING is a german Business Network, more Jobportal as Networking and it isn't FOSS.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 21 hours ago

thank you for clarifying