Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile

My Article for the American Statistical Association

Do you want to polish your LinkedIn profile? Check out my article for The American Statistical Association (ASA).

LinkedIn is the most popular social network for professional purposes. You can use it to display your accomplishments, share your knowledge, meet other professionals, apply for jobs, and participate in discussions about topics that interest you. For statisticians, it is useful for students, recent graduates, and working professionals to learn about the trends in our industry — especially outside of academia.

To use LinkedIn effectively, the first and most important step is to build your profile. I have written an article for the American Statistical Association to show how to do so.

Here is an excerpt:

When future employers and clients browse through your LinkedIn profile, the first and most prominent area of focus is your profile photo. Thus, it is important to have a professional photo taken of yourself in high resolution for this first impression. You should be wearing professional attire appropriate to your industry; for most statisticians, this would be business casual at minimum. You should also look straight into the camera and smile. According to The Telegraph, studies have shown people who smile have a higher chance of getting a job interview or offer.

Unfortunately, many students and junior professionals post cool, sexy, or sophisticated photos of themselves. While such photos are suitable for Tinder, Facebook, or Instagram, they are not appropriate for LinkedIn. This is the biggest mistake people make on LinkedIn, yet it is the easiest to fix.

I encourage you to read the full article to learn more!