Memorandum: LinkedIn Best Practices

To: Team 5, ENGL 301 Writing Group

From: Alexander Clements, ENGL 301 Student

Date: February 22, 2022

Subject: LinkedIn Profile Best Practices

An effective LinkedIn profile is a strong networking tool in today’s professional environment. After conducting some research on the topic, I am writing to present ten best practices surrounding the creation of an effective profile.

1. Complete all sections of the profile page. Missing information may act as a “red flag”, leaving an impression that it was omitted on purpose (Roth et al.).
2. Ensure that there are no spelling or grammatical errors anywhere in the profile (Zide et al.). These may be weighted negatively when considering a candidate for a job opening (Roth et al.).
3. Use a professional profile picture. This is the first item that will form an impression in the profile viewer’s mind (Zide et al.).
4. Actively form connections with colleagues on the platform. Ideally, the number of connections should range between 150 and 400 (Smith and Watkins).
5. Update the skills section on the profile page and seek endorsements from colleagues (Zide et al.).
6. Create a distinctive headline to capture the attention of potential employers and recruiters (Smith and Watkins).
7. Create a customized LinkedIn URL so that the profile can be easily found (Smith and Watkins).
8. Do not post personal information that employers or colleagues should not see. This can be viewed as unprofessional and can adversely impact the candidacy of an applicant for a job opening (Zide et al.).
9. Appear positive, friendly, and keen. LinkedIn can be used to assess perceived “culture fit” when examining candidates by potential employers (Zide et al.).
10. Include interests and hobbies, as these may coincide the those of recruiters. Recruiters may look more favorably upon candidates sharing similar interests with themselves (Zide et al.).

I trust that a LinkedIn profile created with these tips in mind can be used as an effective tool for professional networking. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Reference List

Roth, Philip L., et al. “Social Media in Employee-Selection-Related Decisions.” Journal of Management, vol. 42, no. 1, 2013, pp. 269–298., https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206313503018.

Smith, Stephanie A., and Brandi Watkins. “Millennials’ Uses and Gratifications on LinkedIn: Implications for Recruitment and Retention.” International Journal of Business Communication, 2020, p. 232948842097371., https://doi.org/10.1177/2329488420973714.

Zide, Julie, et al. “LinkedIn and Recruitment: How Profiles Differ across Occupations.” Employee Relations, vol. 36, no. 5, 2014, pp. 583–604., https://doi.org/10.1108/er-07-2013-0086.