After Facebook and Twitter, it’s LinkedIn’s turn to publish the ranking of the most use words on its site in 2013. “Responsible”, “strategic” and “effective” are among the most used. Focus on this ranking and how a profile can be optimized.
Leading the most used keywords in LinkedIn Profiles is the word “responsible”, a term as overused in Canada as in the rest of the world. According to Danielle Restivo, responsible for global programs of the LinkedIn communications team, candidates consider it the best way to describe that they are trustworthy and able to carry out a significant workload.
Terms that remain vague
The annual study conducted by the professional social network on the most common adjectives in its member’s profiles also highlights the adjectives “strategic”, “creative” and “effective”, ranking 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively. The terms remain vague when they are not given with examples, says Danielle Restivo. Next are “organized”, “expert” and “positive” in 5th, 6th and 7th places. “Innovative”, “dynamic” and “analytical” end the list of words in fashion this year for LinkedIn users.
Here are some examples
Although there’s nothing wrong with them in themselves, these words will end up getting worn out and losing their meaning. Candidates often forget to illustrate their point with concrete examples of their accomplishments. An increase by 2% of a company’s turnover, managing a 5 person team, management of a $100,000 project, getting new customers… these are facts that can reinforce candidates’ words.
When creativity is mentioned among skills, it’s in candidates’ interest to complete their profile with photos or visuals, Danielle Restivo suggests. They can also include a link to a site where their work is visible. To summarize, if a candidate wants to be “effective”, it’s better if they express it concretely, with supporting examples.