Do You Even Write In Plain Terms?

It's easy to get caught up in the specific jargon of our jobs and careers, we are all guilty of often using specialized languages that no other industry or career path uses. If you are in the process of actively looking for a new role this can potentially hinder you. Even if you're a Medical Doctor or an Astrophysicist, as you can expect those recruiting you to be familiar with your field's terminology. However, even then you may sometimes even bee hurting yourself with being to complicated in terminology or the language you use.

Afterall, there's a good chance that the Recruiter, Talent Sourcer, or HR professional reviewing your profile did not go through the same education program or work in the same line of business as you. This is important to remember: we don't all speak the same career languages. So, when building your LinkedIn profile and resume, isn't it better to write in plain terms as much as possible?

If you need to use an acronym, make sure you spell it out first, for example: as soon as possible (ASAP). This way, you clarify what you mean and eliminate confusion, especially for acronyms that can have multiple meanings. Once you've explained it, you can use the acronym throughout your document to save space.

Avoid using overly complex language unless it's for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes (see what I did there?). Using complex language can make you lose your reader, or even yourself, in the process.

Take a moment to review your LinkedIn profile and resume. Are you overcomplicating things? If so, try simplifying your language. This small change can improve the flow of your content and make a significant difference. Give it a week or two and then start reviewing your LinkedIn analytics to see if there is a change in your profile views and the amount of times you show up in searches.