MEMORANDUM
To: Eugenia Fasciani, Hilton Ma, Quentin Michalchuk, Members of Pencil Pack, ENG301 99A professional writing team
From: Claire Eccles, ENG301 99A professional writing team member
Date: October 26, 2020
Subject: Ten Best Practices for using LinkedIn as a Professional Networking Site
Hi all,
As we approach the assignment of creating a LinkedIn Profile later this week, I thought I would share my research of ten practices for networking on LinkedIn that I found useful.
- Have a quality headshot – the first thing anyone does when viewing your page is look at your photo. First impressions are key. (Fleming)
- Build a strong profile – filling in as much information as you can statistically speaking leads to more profile views. (Sanders)
- Connect with people you know – having people you know on your LinkedIn can grow your network and lead to more suggestions through those connections. (Prasad)
- Construct personalized emails – a personalized touch will make a bigger impact on who you are connecting with. (Sanders)
- Showcase your skills – displaying skills on your profile strengthens your brand and shows who you are. (Fleming)
- Be active (share & comment) – keeping up to date and engaging with your connections establishes your credentials on the site. It keeps your name circulating as well. (Fleming)
- Use simple language – it is better to be clear and concise so your readers know what you are saying rather than attempting to throw in fancy words to sound smart. (Daum)
- Dedicate time to LinkedIn – this platform is the best networking site we have, and working hard at creating and maintaining your network can lead to many relationships. (Daum)
- Diversify your connections – having people from different fields can open doors for yourself (e.g age, industry, geographically). (Sanders)
- Quality over Quantity – having more meaningful connections is better than having a ton of connections who do not know who you are or what you do. (Sanders)
LinkedIn provides everyone with the ability to make and grow connections. The saying “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” speaks volumes in todays world. Many jobs opportunities nowadays are based on insider knowledge rather than looking up a job online. Having a solid foundation and taking the time to cultivate your LinkedIn profile can lead to great opportunities.
Works Cited
Daum, Kevin, “20 Critical Dos and Don’ts of LinkedIn Networking.” Inc., 25, Oct. 2013, https://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/20-critical-dos-and-donts-of-linkedin-networking.html
Fleming, Jane. “20 Steps to a Better LinkedIn Profile in 2020.” Business LinkedIn, 20 Feb. 2020, https://business.linkedin.com/en-uk/marketing-solutions/blog/posts/content-marketing/2017/17-steps-to-a-better-LinkedIn-profile-in-2017
Prasad, Kiran “Four Tips to Network on LinkedIn.” LinkedIn Blog, 12 June 2020, https://blog.linkedin.com/2020/may/june/12/four-tips-to-network-on-linkedin.
Sanders, Daniel. “How to Network Effectively on LinkedIn.” LinkedIn, 21 Feb. 2016, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-network-effectively-linkedin-daniel-sanders
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