This document discusses the language used in interactions on LinkedIn from a sociolinguistics perspective. It examines word choices, how to effectively tell your story through your profile, and the concept of "the ask", which refers to requests to connect or be introduced. The document provides tips for using LinkedIn, including capturing your existing network through connections, groups and alumni, researching companies and yourself, and crafting your profile with a compelling headline and summary that tells your story. The overall message is that LinkedIn interactions are a form of communication that requires strategic language choices to effectively connect with others and advance your goals.

1. THE LANGUAGE OF
LINKEDIN INTERACTIONAL
SOCIOLINGUISTICS AND SOCIAL
NETWORKING
Anna Marie Trester,
@CareerLinguist

2. Linking = connecting
Communicating is a choice (just as it is a choice NOT to
communicate) And then, you make choices in HOW you
communicate!
As a linguist, I am interested in:
 What was said
 What wasn’t
 What you could have said, but didn’t
As an interactional sociolinguist, it all comes down to a
moment of conversational interaction – metaphor of “the
ask”

3. First things first, a story!!

4. About me

5. My LinkedIn model - Focus on
interaction

6. Conceptual Metaphor: the ask

7. When you edit your profile, it sends a
message to your network
Before we begin:
A word about privacy settings

8. CONNECTING
CAPTURE YOUR EXISTING
NETWORK
www.linkedin.com

9.  People you know “IRL”
(family, friends, work, clubs)
 Groups
 Join relevant groups: Ask Questions (for ideas, look at the
groups others in your network belong to)
 Start a Group, demonstrate “thought leadership”
 Alumni
 Target by an industry or geographical location
“The ask” here is the request to connect (how to honor that)

10. DOING THINGS
www.linkedin.com

11. DOING Things on LinkedIn
 Having curated your network makes the site work
better for you
 Research
Companies, Jobs, Locations – planning to travel, or
move
Yourself – if someone is looking for you, how would they
find you? Search for yourself with keywords, do you
return?
 “the ask” Request to be Introduced (how often
depends on what you are looking for right now)

12. Researching using Advanced
Search

13. Searching for yourself using
keywords

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

15. Opportunities for Languageing
 Headline – not just your job title (framing, positioning,
presuppositions)
 Every section has a genre: Meaningfully different from a resume,
Facebook, job board, Twitter, etc.
 Pay attention for opportunities to tell a story
 Your picture tells a story
 What are you doing with your summary?
 How do you describe your experience? Your projects?
“The ask” here a bit more abstract – ask for someone to know you and
know what you might be looking for (that involves work, paying attention to
that interaction means doing the work of making yourself, your wants
comprehensible)

16. Summary example 1

17. Summary Example 2

18. Summary Example 3

19. Summary Example 4

20.  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 your experience
on LinkedIn: Pronoun choices

21. Give me one Hour a week for your
future!
MY ASK

22. Some Final Thoughts

23.  LinkedIn 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. Because
it is about connecting with people who you
know, be reflective about how they will USE.
 Lead with listening!

24. Linking OUT
 Share visuals: examples of your work
 Direct people to your Twitter, your blog,
websites, Amazon book reviews, etc.
 Be generous:
 Get in there and look for opportunities to PAY IT
FORWARD!!!!

25. www.careerlinguist.com
@CareerLinguist
Me