This document discusses interactional norms on LinkedIn from a sociolinguistics perspective. It covers how LinkedIn is constantly changing, concepts like information given/given off and audience design that are relevant to understanding interactions on LinkedIn. It analyzes norms like endorsements, linking and newsfeed interactions between LinkedIn and Facebook. The document then provides tips for doing things on LinkedIn like searching, posting updates and researching companies. It discusses profile elements like photos, headlines, summaries and experience sections. Finally, it suggests being generous by providing feedback and paying knowledge forward to help others.

1. HOW (AND WHY) DO WE
LINK ON LINKEDIN?
INTERACTIONAL SOCIOLINGUISTICS AND
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Anna Marie Trester,
Georgetown University Department of Linguistics

2. Overview of the workshop

3. The Many Worlds of LinkedIn
(April)
Suggeste
d
connectio
ns
Profile
views
Newsfeed
Menu bar
Status
update
Connection
s

4. LinkedIn is ALWAYS changing!
(June)
Menu!

5. As linguists, we are interested
in
 What was said
 What wasn’t
 What you could have said, but didn’t
 Stories are a choice (just as it is a choice to tell
them, it is a choice NOT to tell them)
 And then, you make choices in HOW you tell
them!

6. Some Lx concepts that will become
relevant today
 Information Given / Given Off
 Face
 Audience Design
 Referring Expressions
 Genre

7. Uncovering Interactional Norms
 “like”
 “friending”
 Happy Birthday
 Newsfeed
 Endorsements
 “linking”
 Happy Work
Anniversary
 Newsfeed
Facebook LinkedIn
In both, norms for interaction are constantly being negotiated
As linguists, we DESCRIBE these, we do not PROSCRIBE!

8. www.linkedin.com
Before we begin:
A word about privacy settings

9. DOING THINGS
www.linkedin.com

10. DOING Things on LinkedIn
 Searching
 “People you may know”
 Posting Updates
 LinkedIn Today
 Researching
 Companies, Jobs, Yourself!

11. TELLING YOUR STORY:
YOUR PROFILE
www.linkedin.com

12.  Picture – tells a story (engaging) personal vs.
professional
 Headline – not just your job title (positioning!)
 LinkedIn: wizard or “Improve your profile”
 Use of Keywords
 Summary – pay attention to genre!
 Experience (different from a resume)

13. Summary example 1

14. Summary Example 2

15. Summary Example 3

16. Summary Example 4

17.  I evaluate domestic and international
credentials…
 Evaluate domestic and international credentials…
 Evaluates domestic and international
credentials…
 She evaluates domestic and international
credentials…
 Alison evaluates domestic and international
credentials…
 We evaluate domestic and international
credentials…
Talking about yourself on
LinkedIn:
Pronoun choices

18. CONNECTING – YOUR
NETWORK
www.linkedin.com

19.  Groups
 Join relevant groups: Ask Questions,
 Start a Group,
 Demonstrate “thought leadership”
 Alumni
 Target by an industry or geographical location
 Locations
 If you are planning to travel, or move

20. Some more tips – getting out
 “Link out” as much as possible within the site
 Visuals: examples of your work
 Public profile: Change the public name they
give you! And then get that link OUT
 Remember: When you edit your profile, it
sends a message to your network

21. SOME FINAL
THOUGHTS

22. About LinkedIn
 Linked In multifaceted (many worlds within it)
 At the same time nested (only one piece of
any person’s social media presence)
 Always understood in context: learn as much
as you can about the contexts in which your
profile will be used and understood
 Being on LinkedIn does not mean “I am
looking for something”

23. Be generous
 Use what I have shared with you today as a
mechanism for getting feedback
 Get in there and….
 ….PAY IT FORWARD!!!!