2.2 Memo: LinkedIn Best Practices for Professional Networking

MEMORANDUM

To: Dr. Erika Paterson, ENGL 301 Instructor, University of British Columbia

From: Catherine Yu, ENGL 301 Student, <catherineyu5466@gmail.com>

Date: October 22, 2021

Subject: Best Practices for Professional Networking on LinkedIn

As requested in the course schedule, I have researched and consolidated the best practices for using LinkedIn as a professional networking site. I have concluded below with the top ten practices I deemed to be the most effective and useful.

The list includes:

• Maintain a complete and up-to-date profile. Recruiters and hiring managers are far more likely to view a complete profile than an empty profile (The Muse).
• Choose a professional profile picture. A friendly smile will help connect with viewers and help convey a sense of energy and charisma (The Muse).
• Include relevant keywords in the headlines to make use of LinkedIn’s algorithm and optimize the visibility of your profile (Ragan).
• Insert relevant skills. Make sure these skills are endorsed as these make your profile more impressive (Hubspot).
• List all the work and volunteer experiences you have using accomplishment statements that speak to your knowledge, skills and abilities. Be sure to showcase your capabilities and emphasize your value to employers by including your responsibilities and personal contributions (UBC Careers).
• Use numbers and case studies to prove your success. Accomplishment-driven descriptions will make your contributions feel more specific and help recruiters understand the scope of your accomplishments (The Muse).
• Write articles that reflect your professional viewpoints. Having articles is a good way to increase your professional credibility and establish a leadership position in niche topics (Smarp).
• Request one LinkedIn recommendation a month and provide your recommender with talking points. Seeking out strong, relevant, and recent recommendations will enhance your credibility and shape the story you want your profile to tell (The Muse).
• Customize a unique public profile URL. A custom URL is will make the profile more memorable and easier to share (Hubspot).
• Make your LinkedIn profile stand out by using images and videos. Utilizing rich media will drive engagement and add visual appeal to your profile (Medium).

Utilizing LinkedIn to its fullest potential as a professional networking platform should incorporate as many of these practices as possible.

Please let me know what you think of my list. Do not hesitate to contact me if you require any additional information.

Works Cited