Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content

66Writing Your LinkedIn Profile‘Responsible’ Is Overrated

Would you say that you are “a strategic, driven expert responsible for innovative and effective programs across the organization”?

Ick. I hope not. But if you did, you'd sound like a million other professionals (literally!) on LinkedIn—which, with more than 300 million members, is the world's largest professional network.¹

We talked about using words that best describe you, and not just the words that could describe anyone else, in Parts II and III of this book. And that means being more intentional with the words you use everywhere—in your social media bios, and also on your LinkedIn profile.

Each year for the past four, LinkedIn has released a list of the top buzzwords and phrases culled from LinkedIn member profiles. Globally, the current most overused buzzword in LinkedIn Profiles is responsible, according to LinkedIn. It was used twice as many times as any other word on the list.

The 2013 list is shown in the graphic that follows:

Don't sound like everyone else. Find words that differentiate you from others, and then tie those attributes of yours that the words describe to tangible examples. As LinkedIn's career expert, Nicole Williams, explains:

Differentiate yourself by uniquely describing what you have accomplished…and back it up with concrete examples of your work by adding photos, videos, and presentations ...