Читать книгу LinkedIn Profile Optimization For Dummies - Donna Serdula - Страница 17

LinkedIn is a social network, and writing an impersonal profile filled with business jargon doesn’t mesh. Social networks are all about you interacting with your network. And because your network will check out your profile, it’s imperative that what they read is from your pen. You don’t want to push people away by creating distance between you and your reader.

A powerful LinkedIn profile is written in first person narrative form (“I”). Draw readers in by writing about yourself in the first person. Writing in a conversational, natural tone is a great way to connect with your audience and start forging an easy rapport.

As important as it is to write in first person, you also must be careful not to overuse “I.” There is nothing worse than a profile where every sentence starts with I. In my profile, I sometimes use the second person narrative form (“You”) because it brings your reader in even closer by speaking directly to them, and it eases the potential overuse of “I.”

The best way to ensure your profile is compellingly written is to read it aloud. Does it sound stilted? Does it sound like it’s something you would never say to an acquaintance live in person? If so, the writing is forced and not conversational in tone.

Here is an example of stilted, hard-to-read resume speak:

Creating a clear strategy for leveraging resources to produce the maximum number of insights possible. Integrating contextual analytics to business processes. Centralizing deep analysis expertise for use across the organizational axis but mandating each individual department and line of business takes responsibility for their own reporting needs.

You want to write your profile as if you are talking directly to your reader. Your words should sound professional yet natural. A profile written in corporate jargon or resume speak is a turn off. Demonstrate your human side and warmth by writing in a natural, conversational tone.

When you see profiles written in the third person, typically the reason is that they simply copied and pasted their biography or resume into the LinkedIn profile. That’s a cop-out! Your LinkedIn profile is not your resume nor your bio. Your LinkedIn profile is your career future! It’s who you are, how you help people, and why you deserve to be noticed. A powerful LinkedIn profile is strategically written for your goals and your target audience. It’s not a copy and paste of some other document.

While the best profiles are written in first person, there are times when other styles work better. For example, if you are in sales and marketing and your profile is written with the goal of engaging potential clients, second person works great: “If you want to up your game and improve your productivity, our CRM solution will help you save time and … .” Notice how the focus is on the person reading the profile.

If you are a person with a long list of accomplishments and awards, it may feel more comfortable writing about your successes in third person: “After winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Jane Doe sold her company for $33 billion and decided to dedicate the rest of her career to saving the rain forests.”

Think about your target audience and your brand, then tailor your voice accordingly.