Memorandum
To: The Keyboard Commandos
From: Spencer Lee, Student SL
Date: October 15, 2015
Subject: LinkedIn Best Practices
As requested in the description of the assignment I have research the best practices for creating a LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is a popular networking site for professionals and it is important to present yourself well in your profile. Below you will find the 10 best practices that I found in my research.
- Edit or Remove Unwanted Endorsements: It is important to pay attention to what skills your connections have endorsed as it is possible for new skills to be added to this section through endorsements that you might not possess or want to highlight.
- Treat Your Profile Like Your Resume: Like your resume your LinkedIn profile is a place to highlight your skills, accomplishments and experience. Make sure the skills and experiences in your profile are up to date.
- Leave past Jobs or Volunteer Work on your profile: Your profile is more general than your resume, you never know what type of skills or experience a potential employer might be looking for.
- Avoid Buzzwords: Buzzwords take up space on your profile and make your carefully written descriptions seem generic. These are not to be confused with keywords which help connections and employers see your specific skills.
- Keep Your Profile Picture Professional and Updated: According to LinkedIn your profile is seven times more likely to be viewed if you have a profile picture. It also helps potential connections be sure you are the right person.
- Show Your Personality: Listing your hobbies, interests and volunteer experience helps show your connections your personality and make you stand out from other similar individuals to potential employers.
- Join Groups Related to Your Field: Groups provide a way for you to meet and connect with other professionals in your industry and keep you updated on potential job opportunities.
- Include Up to Date Contact Information: Make sure that your contact information is updated on your profile.
- Request Specific Recommendations: A generic recommendations is much less helpful than one that focuses on specific skills and experiences and is more difficult to write as well.
- Add Media to your Profile: You can add media to sections of you LinkedIn profile. Adding pictures or examples to your profile makes it seem more unique and memorable.
I hope you find these best practices helpful when you are updating your LinkedIn profile.
References:
Burnham, Kristin (2013, November 7). 10 Top LinkedIn tips, tricks [Web article]. Retrieved from: http://www.informationweek.com/software/social/10-top-linkedin-tips-tricks/d/d-id/1005773?image_number=8
Barbush, J (2013, July 3). 5 often-forgotten LinkedIn best practices [Web article]. Retrieved from: http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/34475.asp#singleview
LearnVest (2013, March 4). 8 Mistakes you should never make on LinkedIn [Web article]. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2013/03/04/8-mistakes-you-should-never-make-on-linkedin/2/
The Daily Muse Editor. The 31 best LinkedIn profile tips for job seekers [Web Article]. Retrieved from: https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-31-best-linkedin-profile-tips-for-job-seekers