Memorandum for LinkedIn Best Practices- Eva Ruiz

Memorandum

To: All Scribes, Writing Team Members

From: Eva Ruiz, Scribes Team Member

Date: June 29, 2019

Subject: Ten Best Practices for Using LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a very valuable resource and tool for professionals in today’s technologically focused working environment. As requested for assignment 2:2 for English 301, below are 10 ways to use LinkedIn as a professional networking site.

1. Have a Professional Headshot. A recent close up photo in professional business wear looking pleasant can make a huge difference in the profile (Editor, Fleming, Mäkipää).
2. Have a Creative Headline. Ensure that the headline highlights specialties in the field of choosing and know it doesn’t have to be the current job title (Editor, Fleming, Mäkipää).
3. Fill in the summary section. Fill this section with what makes you unique, be that specialties, special skills, and other personal information. Ensure that this section is not left blank (Editor, Fleming, Mäkipää).
4. Avoid Buzzwords. Make certain to purge commonly used buzzwords from the profile as it makes it less unique (Editor, Fleming).
5. Target Words for Job Search. Add words that are used for the specific job or field of interest to make the profile more appealing and “visible” to employers (Fleming, Mäkipää)
6. List Relevant Work/Skills. Incorporate any previous jobs, volunteer experience, certificats, or skills that are relevant to the field (Editor, Fleming). 
7. Add Multimedia. Attaching videos, pictures, or powerpoints relevant to one’s own work or field can add an extra dimension to the profile to set it apart from others (Editor).
8. Get Connections. Connect the profile with an email or Facebook to grow the number of connections. Search for those who are also pursuing or are in the field of interest (Fleming). 
9. Request Recommendations. Having personal recommendations on previous work or professionalism can validate and boost the profile (Editor, Fleming, Mäkipää).
10. Keep it Up-to-Date. Adding work experience, sharing relevant content and updating summaries is an excellent way to stay updated and relevant in the LinkedIn pool of professionals (Editor).

Implementing these practices into making and updating LinkedIn profiles should ensure exceptional professional networking. Thank you!

Citations

Editor, The Muse. “The Best LinkedIn Profile Tips for Job Seekers.” The Muse, The Muse, 19 June 2020, www.themuse.com/advice/the-31-best-linkedin-profile-tips-for-job-seekers.

Fleming, Jane. “20 Steps to a Better LinkedIn Profile in 2020.” Business Solutions on 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.

Mäkipää, Mia. “A Step-by-Step Guide to Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile.” The Employee Communications and Advocacy Blog, 10 Apr. 2019, blog.smarp.com/a-guide-to-optimizing-your-linkedin-profile-for-2019.