LOOKING AT LINKEDIN THROUGH A SOCIOLINGUISTIC LENS

Alex Botti and Alison DeBoer//October 2013

Introduction

• Who we are• What we’ve been doing• What our goals are • Help from you!

What we’ll cover

1. Introduction to LinkedIn

2. Contributions from a sociolinguistic perspective (what might others overlook?)• Profile as narrative: a framework• Identity (“getting personal”)• Referring terms

3. Next steps

LinkedIn 101

LinkedIn was launched in 2003 (before FB!)

225 million members in 200 countries

Mission statement:“Our mission is simple: connect the world's professionals to make them more productive and successful. When you join LinkedIn, you get access to people, jobs, news, updates, and insights that help you be great at what you do.”

A view of my LinkedIn homepage

Suggested connections

Status update

News feed

Info about recent activity on the site and info about my connections

Menu bar

Invitations to connect

Profile views

Info/suggestion from LinkedIn

A view of my LinkedIn profile

Components of a profile

Summary Experience Skills and Expertise Education Projects Languages Publications Groups Interests Courses Test scores Patents Certifications Volunteering and Causes Recommendations

Sociolinguistic Lens

The Data

71 profiles Viewed as “public” for quantitative

analysis Coded for

Age, Gender, Industry # of connections, recs, sections & words

used Location (by country)

Qualitative analysis looking at identity and self-presentation work

Framework:Profiles as narratives

Analyzing profiles as we would narratives:

• Audience• Story progression• Identity and self-presentation/performance• Lexical choices• Role of interaction• More…

LinkedIn Narratives

LinkedIn Narratives

Framework:Profiles as narratives

Zooming in on:

• Identity and self-presentation (the personal)• Lexical choices/referring terms

Socio lens:Identity and self-presentation

SO WHAT? Why does this data matter?

A virtual you is out there…others can get to it before they get to you! Who is printing out your LinkedIn profile?

Where does the personal come in?

LinkedIn’s version of “personal” information, vs. the user’s: linguistic choices people make infuse personality and identity into the profile

A model of “3 Rs”: framework for looking at how the choices people make convey – or have the power to convey – an identity, something beyond a simple online resume

The “3 Rs”: Reading LinkedIn through a personal lens

Reading:

Headline: specific or broad? What do people call themselves?

Buzzwords: across a profile

Clues on how to approach and interact

Representing:

LinkedIn as part of a constellation of connections:

an online footprint

What makes you tick/passions: what others will read

The “why” of your background

The “3 Rs”: Representing yourself – personally – on LinkedIn

LinkedIn Narratives

The “3 Rs”: Reaching out and staying personal while doing it

Reaching out:

Personal invites: shared history

Staying top of mind: generous interaction

A framework for soliciting feedback on and exploring your own “LinkedIn self”!

Now what?

Research: Talking about yourself via pronoun choices

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… Domestic and international credential evaluation…

Research: Talking about yourself via pronoun choices

-What do you think each of these connotes?-What pronouns/referring expressions do you use in your profile?-Do you have a preference for one?-Does the language related to pronouns/referring expressions differ in your resume versus your LinkedIn profile? How so?-Do you use pronouns differently in different sections of profile (i.e. summary versus experience)?

Questions for you…

Research: Talking about yourself via pronoun choices

In Summary section:36% use no pronouns (credential evaluation)27% use first person (I evaluate credentials)18% total use implied first or third person(evaluate(s) credentials

From our pilot study…

In Experience section:45% use no pronouns (credential evaluation)7% use first person(I evaluate credentials)30% total use implied first or third person (evaluate(s) credentials)

What’s next?

Next RQs (using this model)

Research Questions

How do goals (i.e. searching for a new job, noting emerging industry trends) shape the choices people make in presenting themselves linguistically, and how do these shift over time? 

How does the “request to connect” and other such online requests shape offline encounters where identity is performed in relation to other's public faces?

How is LinkedIn talked about in other spaces/platforms?

Thank you!

Contributions from you