This assignment was originally submitted on June 22 as part of Lesson 2:2. The purpose of this lesson and assignment was to conduct online research on the necessary techniques for professional networking. After conducting this research, a memo was written to our fellow team members outlining what we had learned about LinkedIn. One issue with the original submission of this assignment was the excessive use of imperative verbs (e.g. include, create) instead of ‘-ing’ verbs. After receiving instructor feedback, I edited the verbs in this memo to make the tone more reader-friendly.
MEMORANDUM
To: Members of ENGL 301 98A team (“The Fourth Years”)
From: Alirod Ameri, ENGL 301 student
Date: June 22, 2021
Subject: Summary of best practices for networking on LinkedIn
In accordance with the assignment guidelines for Lesson 2:2, I have conducted an online search regarding best practices for professional networking on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is an online platform specializing in business communications. The following ten points outline some considerations which are essential when using LinkedIn:
- Including a photo, personal summary, educational details and previous work history ensures a LinkedIn profile is complete (Fleming).
- Creating a headline which which highlights your current position or what type of position you are seeking will help it stand out (Suder).
- Sending invitations to people you would like to connect with and accepting invitations you receive will help grow a professional network.
- Liking or commenting on posts or posting content will engage with other LinkedIn users (“How to Effectively Use LinkedIn”).
- Writing with proper spelling and grammar helps maintain professionalism, as LinkedIn is different than other social media sites such as Facebook. using proper spelling and grammar (Mind Tools Content Team).
- Using the features of your LinkedIn profile to accurately describe your skills and interests is better than mentioning over-used buzzwords (Fleming)
- Keeping your profile up to date by noting any changes to your careers, skills and education, ensures more likely to be noticed (Suder).
- Searching for and following any companies and organizations which you are interested in and allows you to stay informed about any new developments (Suder).
- Joining groups which are relevant to your interests allows you to discover new people and opportunities (Lee)
- Giving out skill endorsements to people in your network might lead to your connections also endorsing your skills in return (Lee).
Works cited
Fleming, Jane. “20 Steps to a Better LinkedIn Profile in 2020.” LinkedIn, 20 Feb. 2020, business.linkedin.com/en-uk/marketing-solutions/blog/posts/content-marketing/2017/17-steps-to-a-better-LinkedIn-profile-in-2017.
“How to Effectively Use LinkedIn.” UBC Student Services, 28 May 2021, students.ubc.ca/career/career-resources/effectively-use-linkedin.
Lee, Shannon. “How to Use LinkedIn for Professional Development & Networking.” LearnHowToBecome.Org, 17 Nov. 2020, www.learnhowtobecome.org/career-resource-center/linkedin-professional-development-and-networking.
Mind Tools Content Team. “How to Use LinkedIn Effectively: Getting the Best from the World’s Biggest Networking Site.” Mind Tools, 2016, www.mindtools.com/pages/article/linkedin.htm.
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