Your LinkedIn bio says Ex-Google.
Congratulations. You and 17,000 other people.
I've been thinking about the "Ex-" phenomenon. You know the one. Open LinkedIn right now and you'll see it everywhere: Ex-Google. Ex-Meta. Ex-McKinsey. Ex-Amazon.
It's become the default credibility hack: slap a prestigious former employer in your headline and watch the connection requests roll in.
But this isn't new. The logo on your badge has always been a shortcut for "trust me."
A Brief History of Borrowed Credibility
- 1960s-70s: "I'm from IBM." Translation: I own a suit and I'm serious.
- 1980s: "I'm from McKinsey." Translation: I went to an Ivy and I have a framework for that.
- 1990s: "I'm from Dell." This one I know personally. When I left Dell — an 87,000% stock return, arguably the fastest-growing company on Earth — that name opened every door. People didn't ask what I did. They heard "Dell" and nodded.
- 2000s: "I'm from PayPal." The original tech mafia. Those alumni went on to found LinkedIn, YouTube, Tesla, SpaceX, and Palantir.
- 2010s: "I'm from Google." Google alumni have founded over 1,200 companies and raised $22 billion. "Ex-Google" became the golden ticket to a VC meeting.
- 2020s: "I'm from OpenAI." The new hot badge. Give it 18 months.
Every "Ex-" Has an Expiration Date
Nobody is putting "Ex-Compaq" in their headline anymore. Or "Ex-Sun Microsystems." Or "Ex-BlackBerry."
The company that made you credible yesterday becomes a trivia answer tomorrow.
And it doesn't just apply to business. After I completed the Leadville Trail 100 — a 100-mile ultramarathon through the Colorado Rockies — my buddies and I joked about how long we could milk it before it stopped impressing people. I gave it one year.
Your marathon. Your company. Your title. The shelf life on borrowed credibility is shorter than you think.
"The company that made you credible yesterday becomes a trivia answer tomorrow."
When polled, 54% of LinkedIn users said the "Ex-" tag doesn't actually add credibility. And nobody writes "Ex-CVS Health" in their headline — even though it's a Fortune 10 company.
Credentials Are Not Capability
The uncomfortable truth: the "Ex-" badge works, but it works because we're lazy evaluators. We use employer brands as a shortcut for capability.
The most dangerous moment in any career isn't getting fired. It's the morning you realize the company logo was carrying more weight than your actual skills.
I know, because I've lived it.
"Credentials are not capability."
Your Next Move
Stop leading with where you worked. Start leading with the problems you solve.
Not sure your value stands on its own yet? Take the free readiness assessment — four minutes, brutally honest: theretern.com/quiz
The work is serious. The life doesn't have to be.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have a tee time to keep.
Kirk Coburn is the founder of The ReTern and category creator of the fractional executive movement. He introduced the term "Fractional CMO" to the market in 2009 when he co-founded Chief Outsiders, which has since served 2,000+ clients. When he's not helping corporate refugees build fractional practices, he's usually on the golf course by 2 PM.
