Memorandum
TO: Team “BEAD”
FROM: Andree Coschizza, 
DATE: October 21, 2019
SUBJECT: Best Practices for Using LinkedIn as a Professional Networking Site
In accordance with Assignment 2.2, I have conducted research on the best practices for using LinkedIn as a professional networking site. Below I have highlighted ten strategies to enhance your experience on LinkedIn:
- Make a good first impression: Picking a photo and headline that quickly and effectively identifies yourself will encourage others to click on your profile (Neitz)
- Complete all sections of your Profile: This will expose you to more searches by potential employers (Greene)
- Be engaging and efficient: Recruiters are looking at multiple profiles, so ensure your summary is friendly and professional, but also concise (Van Edwards)
- Be specific to your industry: Creating a profile geared towards a target audience will connect you with your industry (Van Edwards)
- Keep a professional and friendly tone: Unlike other social media, LinkedIn exists to support a professional networking work environment, therefore everything should market yourself as a professional
- Expand on your experiences: Adding short descriptions to your list of experiences will allow others to see the range of responsibilities you held in that position (Greene)
- Use unique wording: Many tend to overuse certain “buzzwords” to describe their skills (ex. Creative, leadership, experienced). Replacing these words with alternate descriptions (ex. Inventive, guidance, skillful) ensures your profile sounds unique (Van Edwards)
- Make it personal: Highlight and give examples of your personal skills by showcasing media and individual projects (Neitz)
- Update your profile: Constantly be expanding your network and updating your experiences (Neitz)
- Maintain your network: Once you have established your network, maintain these connections by joining groups, commenting on posts, and making recommendations (Van Edwards)
Hopefully these ten tips will be helpful to you as you create your LinkedIn profile. This is a great platform to make and maintain connections, and I look forward to connecting with you as well.
Citations
Van Edwards, Vanessa. “The 15 Best LinkedIn Profile Tips To Make Your Profile Pop.” The Science of People, 2018, scienceofpeople.com/linkedin-profile-tips/.
Neitz, Meike. “13 Tipps Für Ein Erfolgreicheres LinkedIn-Profil.” Basic Thinking, 2018, www.basicthinking.de/blog/2018/03/28/linkedin-optimierung/.
Greene, Jessica. “ LinkedIn Profile Tips: 18 Research-Backed Ways to Stand Out Professionally.” Zapier, 2018, zapier.com/blog/linkedin-profile-tips/.
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