To: Writing Team, ENGL301
From: Hanul Seo, ENGL301 Student
Date: July 6th, 2022
Subject: Best Practices for LinkedIn
List of Practices using LinkedIn
- Setting up your profile: Considered to be a key factor – by using a clear purpose statement, professional photo, summary of previous experiences, as well as a personalized URL, the people engaging with your page will be able to make connections with you.
- Displaying Experience with Your LinkedIn Portfolio: When setting up your profile, make sure to focus on the goal of promoting your experiences. By keeping a summary of your experiences clear and concise, this will help people navigate your page better.
- Connecting with other LinkedIn Users: When looking for people to connect with, look for people who share similar goals, values, or experiences.
- Contacting with other LinkedIn Users: When looking for people to connect with, be mindful to be respectful and keep a professional undertone in your message. Additionally, by finding similarities such as; school, industry, job title, etc. this enables conversation topics to emerge generating a genuine connection.
- Skills and Endorsements: Advertise your professional skills, and how they can be implemented in a professional environment. Disclosing examples of previous positions where you had to use these skills are beneficial as well. Endorsing your connections’ skills may encourage them to endorse your skills.
- Using LinkedIn Groups: LinkedIn Groups is an online forum where individuals of similar industries can meet to share their insights and experiences. By using LinkedIn Groups, networking opportunities arise, especially with individuals who may have more experience within the industry than those starting out.
- Creating Posts and other Engaging Content for Your Page: Write about what you know best, what you are the most passionate about, what you have achieved as well as regarding information that may help your readers. In doing so, this will heighten the engagement on your page, increasing the likelihood of more opportunities.
- Finding New Employment Opportunities: Research the company. Find out what their goals and values are, and see if it correlates to any of your own values/goals, or better yet, your previous experiences.
- Controlling Privacy and Data: Be mindful of potential dangers, as LinkedIn is also an online platform. Maintain your privacy, and be sure not to disclose personal information you are uncomfortable disclosing. Additionally, you can change the privacy settings on your LinkedIn page to maintain your privacy.
- Be honest about yourself. Avoid overselling yourself: One of the most common mistakes of promoting yourself on LinkedIn is overselling. Be sure to be honest with your experiences, and genuine when making connections.
Conclusion
Use a clear purpose statement, professional photo, summary of previous experiences, as well as a personalized URL to make connections with people who share similar goals and values as you. When messaging connections, be sure maintain a respectful and professional demeanour. When using LinkedIn to look for new professional opportunities, research the company and connect yourself with their goals and values. Moreover, Be sure to be honest and genuine about your profile – while being safe in this online platform.
Sources
- Utz, S., & Breuer, J. (2019). The relationship between networking, LinkedIn use, and retrieving informational benefits. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 22(3), 180-185.
- Syed Balkhi at OptinMonster, WPBeginner, WPForms, MonsterInsights, and List25,” How to Network on LinkedIn Like a Pro”: From Business.com, https://www.business.com/articles/linkedin-networking-tips/
- Peterson, R. M., & Dover, H. F. (2014). Building student networks with LinkedIn: The potential for connections, internships, and jobs. Marketing Education Review, 24(1), 15-20.
- Tips For Editing Your LinkedIn Privacy Settings: https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers/sites/files/careers/public/shared/images/linkedin/Tips%20for%20Editing%20Your%20LinkedIn%20Privacy%20Settings%20https.pdf
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