ENGL 301- Anusha Saleem, 2.2 Memo of Best Networking Practices

Memorandum

To: Amol Chahal, Shuge Luo, and Enguang Shi

From: Anusha Saleem

Date: October 26th, 2020

Subject: 10 Best Practices for using LinkedIn as a Professional Networking Site

As we transition towards working in a professional environment, I want to share a summary of beneficial practices that, when adopted, will help us in building and expanding our professional network on LinkedIn.

1. Captivating Profile– A striking first impression always leaves a positive impact on the viewer, so put on your best business formal attire and take a well-lit headshot for your profile picture. (The Balance Careers)
2. Succinct Profile Summary– Use short, tight sentences, avoid jargon, write in the first person and use keywords to highlight who you are and what you are looking for on LinkedIn. (The Balance Careers)
3. Populate Your Profile– Consider your profile page to be akin to a resume, and populate it with your relevant professional experiences. Use keywords to make your profile come up in recruiter searches. (The Balance Careers)
4. Customize Your URL– Take advantage of LinkedIn’s functionality and customize your URL to make it unique and memorable for prospective connections.
5. Reach Out– Once your profile is published, reach out to people you know by sending them a connection request with a personalized message. Make sure to keep your tone friendly and professional. (Forbes)
6. Accept Requests– To build a connection of at least 50 people, accept the invitations you receive as they come. (Forbes)
7. Six Degrees of Separation– All humans are said to be six or fewer social connections away from each other. Take advantage of LinkedIn’s suggested connections to expand your professional network further. (Guardian)
8. Group Up!– Groups are one of the most impactful networking features on LinkedIn as they allow you access to a large number of people who are interested in the same thing. So join a group and socialize. (Forbes)
9. Interact– Frequent positive interactions, including status updates and likes on articles, will keep you visible to the people in your network. (Forbes)
10. Acknowledge– When someone shares an achievement on LinkedIn, acknowledge them with a personalized message. This small act on your part ripples kindly throughout your network, ensuring that you remembered in kind. (Forbes)

I hope this list of best practice allows you to make a stellar LinkedIn profile and eventually lets us build an ideal professional network. 

Thank you.

References:

1. Doyle, Alison. “Maximize Your Profile on LinkedIn.” The Balance Careers, www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-use-linkedin-2062597.
2. Arruda, William. “LinkedIn 201: How To Cultivate A Powerful Network.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 2 July 2017, www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2017/02/05/linkedin-201-how-to-cultivate-a-powerful-network/.
3. David Smith, technology correspondent. “Microsoft Proves There Are Just Six Degrees of Separation between Us.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 2 Aug. 2008, www.theguardian.com/technology/2008/aug/03/internet.email.