Most common words on British LinkedIn profiles? I’m thinking words like jolly good, smashing, spiffing, whippersnapper, old chap, balderdash, and tickety boo old bean. Not so I’m afraid, the British contingent on LinkedIn have succumbed to corporate buzzwords just like the rest of the world.
LinkedIn now has 500 million members worldwide (20+ million of those in jolly old Britain), and they released the most overused words and phrases in members’ LinkedIn Profiles the other day. You may not be surprised that ‘creative’ has topped the list this year; could it be that UK professionals realize they need to up their game to get noticed, whether job hunting or networking, in the current economic climate. But the clear message from this research is that professionals shouldn’t rely on buzzwords that they think will get them noticed – employers and head-hunters are looking for substance and plus style.
So rather than saying you are “creative”, LinkedIn recommends that professionals try to use simple language to clearly state what work or projects they have helped to deliver that demonstrates their creativity – experience has never counted for so much, so give specific examples, results and if possible, personal testimonials.
The most overused buzzwords on UK LinkedIn profiles
The number one most overused buzzword in LinkedIn Profiles, (the place where members list their professional skills and achievements), both globally and in the UK was ‘creative’. Here is LinkedIn’s list of the top 10 terms that are overused by professionals in the UK:
1. Creative
2. Track record
3. Motivated
4. Effective
5. Extensive experience
6. Wide range
7. Innovative
8. Communication skills
9. Dynamic
10. Problem-solving
Here are the number one buzzwords for countries that LinkedIn fielded the study in:
- Creative: Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and the United States
- Multinational: Brazil
- Dynamic: France
- Effective: India
- Problem-solving: Italy
- Motivated: Ireland
- Managerial: Spain
- Track record: Singapore
Here are some tips professionals can act on over the Christmas break to increase the number of people viewing their LinkedIn Profile:
Come highly recommended
Recommendations on LinkedIn spread virally, and give those viewing your profile a sense of who you are as a professional. Request LinkedIn Recommendations from past managers and clients, and feel free to hint at why you’re asking for the recommendation (to get more clients, to find a new job, etc.) as well as the types of things the recommender can comment on. (“Tim, I’d really appreciate it if you could give me a recommendation regarding the ABC project that I worked on that resulted in us increasing sales by 120 percent.”)
Accentuate your profile
Make sure your LinkedIn Profile is complete and includes all the roles you have had. You are 12 times more likely to be viewed for potential opportunities if you have more than one position listed on your profile. Also, add a profile photo – people never forget a face.
