Key Takeaways
The main subject
LinkedIn’s Year in Review is a mobile-only recap that turns a year of clicks and connections into a simple story of progress.
What the numbers say
One profile, Leonardo Tomás Cardillo, closed out 2025 in the top five percent for activity, added 236 new connections, and earned one certificate.
What it quietly teaches
A recap can be motivating, but it also invites attention to safety basics, especially when a QR code is used to open content on a phone.
What to remember next time
Clear settings, simple habits, and careful scanning can keep a professional recap helpful instead of risky.
Story & Details
A recap that already happened
In January 2026, LinkedIn’s Year in Review for 2025 is already in circulation and is presented as a personal snapshot of the year: milestones, connections, and the moments in between.
A profile in focus
The recap shown for Leonardo Tomás Cardillo frames 2025 as a busy year. It places the profile in the top five percent of the most active users and highlights growth in network size with 236 new connections. It also notes one certificate earned, presenting learning as a visible step forward.
Time patterns and social gravity
The recap points to a daily activity window from 10:00 to 19:00 (local time) / 10:00 to 19:00 (Netherlands, Europe). It also looks outward to the wider network: 1,392 connections are described as very active, with examples of where they now work such as Independent Professional, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, and Siemens Energy. The recap adds a personal thread by naming a first connection, Jose Alejandro Sanchez, dated to December 2010, and a most-interacted connection, Anwaar Ahmed, for the year.
Why mobile design matters
LinkedIn’s own help pages describe Year in Review as available only in the mobile app, which matches the way it is presented: a sequence of screens meant to be tapped through quickly. That speed is part of the charm, but it also explains why QR codes appear as a bridge from a desktop moment to a phone-first experience.
The technical lesson, in plain words
A QR code is just a picture that usually hides a link. The risk is not the squares themselves. The risk is the hidden destination. Cybercriminals can replace a real code with a fake one, or send a code that leads to a look-alike sign-in page. This style of attack is often called “quishing,” meaning phishing that uses QR codes. Guidance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation warns that a bad QR destination can lead to stolen logins, stolen payment details, or malware on a phone.
A short Dutch mini-lesson for real-life networking
Leuk je te ontmoeten.
Used for a friendly first meeting.
Word-by-word: leuk = nice; je = you; te = to; ontmoeten = meet.
Zullen we verbinden op LinkedIn?
Used to suggest a professional connection in a polite way.
Word-by-word: zullen = shall; we = we; verbinden = connect; op = on; LinkedIn = LinkedIn.
Conclusions
A clean signal in a noisy year
A good recap does not need to be dramatic. It needs to be clear. For this profile, clarity comes from three simple signals: high activity, real learning, and steady relationship-building across years.
The practical finish
The same tools that make a recap easy—mobile screens, fast taps, quick scans—also make careful habits worth keeping. A Year in Review can feel like a small badge, but it also serves as a reminder that professional life is built one safe, intentional step at a time.
Selected References
[1] https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a9499002
[2] https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a517979
[3] https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/2025-year-in-review-8111642/
[4] https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/elpaso/news/fbi-tech-tuesday-building-a-digital-defense-against-qr-code-scams
[5] https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250731
[6] https://youtu.be/DU_y85NlSeY?si=OmrZXuWNIxEs2cbx
Appendix
Activity window. A time range that summarizes when a profile is most active during the day.
Certificate. A credential recorded on a profile to show completion of a course or learning program.
Connection. A mutual link between two LinkedIn accounts that expands each account’s professional network.
Percentile. A ranking that shows how a result compares with others, such as being in the top five percent.
Phishing. A scam that tries to trick someone into giving passwords, payment details, or other sensitive information.
QR code. A scannable square pattern that often encodes a link or other data meant to open quickly on a phone.
Quishing. A form of phishing that uses QR codes to send someone to a harmful link.
Year in Review. A LinkedIn feature that summarizes a member’s year on the platform, focused on connections, learning, and activity.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 