To: English 301 Team 5
From: Dylan Flach
Date: February 16th 2022
Subject: Best LinkedIn Practices
The purpose of this memo is to provide a comprehensive summary of my research into the best practices regarding the use of LinkedIn as a professional networking site.
1. Use the profile photo as an expression of your most accomplished and knowledgeable self. These photos “convey implicit non-verbal impression management cues” such as the use of facial expressions to show emotional expressivity, and formal attire to detail one’s professionalism. Thus, it is important that the chosen photograph is a high-resolution medium close-up with a focus on the face (taking up at least 60% of the frame). Additionally, the profile photo should include friendly eye contact and a warm smile (Tifferet, and Vilnai-Yavetz).
2. Use your LinkedIn page as a platform for self-promotion, detailing the most positive aspects of your professional life and community relations, rather than a realm for personal self-expression of interests and hobbies (Tifferet, and Vilnai-Yavetz).
3. Keep in mind how you convey ‘implicit data’ – i.e. size of networks, online activity, and visual cues such as background colours. Implicit data is revealed to have a significant effect on others’ perceived competence of you, so make sure to keep these aspects just as disciplined as the explicit data (Tifferet, and Vilnai-Yavetz).
4. Create a social media plan that allows you to use milestones, potentially at 3 month intervals, to meet objectives on LinkedIn, such as the number of connections you have (Coles).
5. Use LinkedIn posts as a tool to refer your professional network to new articles, blog posts, and updates in your career. Use links to yours or other’s websites to streamline the process for others (Coles)
6. Due to the generally slow pace of LinkedIn information, it is most appropriate to have a significant delay between posts, rather than posting right after another, or multiple in one day. Scheduling your posts could allow a stream of great ideas to be broken up for your audience.
7. Make sure to fill out and complete of the entirety of each section on your LinkedIn profile. Any of these pages may act as a first impression to readers, so it is important to portray a strong sense of fulfillment in your work (Macarthy).
8. Research relevant keywords that appear in job postings and on the pages of other professionals, and include these in the description section of your profile page. This will give you a better chance of appearing higher in LinkedIn’s search, and, as such, more profile views and possible connections (Macarthy).
9. Create a unique and eye-catching headline for your profile. This will attract others to your profile and allow them to distinguish you from others with similar expertise (Macarthy).
10. Provide your location as that which you will (or hope to) be working, as opposed to the specific area that you currently reside in. This will make you seem more local to those looking for individuals in a particular city, as there is a greater likelihood that they will filter their search to the well-known city where their company is based (Macarthy).
Using the aforementioned techniques will allow you to have a LinkedIn presence that reflects your extraordinary competencies as a current or aspiring professional. Following the hyperlinks below will allow you to ascertain a more comprehensive understanding of the ideas listed above.
Please be sure to contact me at dylanflach@gmail.com if you are interested in speaking more in-depth about any of these topics, or have questions or comments pertaining to the material.
References
Coles, Linda. Social Media For Business. John Wiley & Sons Australia, 2018.
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