What's in a word

photo credit:herdingcats

The words, language and stories we use tell the world a great deal about us and this in turn is linked to how some words and the way we use them are valued more than others. The way we present ourselves to the world is valued by some more than others. When it comes to something like work and looking for work how we present ourselves verbally and how we use language on our resumes carries a great deal of weight. So by this it would mean that LinkedIn, which is essentially an online resume, would place a high value on words and the value attached to those words. In Tuans (1991) paper they state that the ‘geographer’ is the one that sets the language of the ‘map’, in this case the geographer is the social network user and the map is the social network.

Although the language is set by the user the value is not, as mentioned in an earlier blog one key aspect of LinkedIn is listing what skills and achievements you have attained similar to how it would be in a traditional resume. Although in a traditional resume the worth of it is attained through generally two references, this can lead to a question over if your skills have any true values as it can be difficult to ascertain the truth behind the words and even the references. With LinkedIn people can attest to the skills you list, the intention being that any prospective employer can look at who has been reference to your skills and can also view their skills and achievements and so on.

Words are what make up stories and the stories are what make up the virtual maps that form our lives and our networks. These stories in turn help us shape our spaces and places (Kuttainen, 2017), which in this context applies to how the words we use shape our stories, lives and our networks. Depending on how you phrase and word things on your LinkedIn profile determines how people see that part of your life and also by extension how other parts of your life function such as work.

Tuan, Y. (1977). BA1002: BA1002 Our space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, week 5: (Readings), Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au

Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, week 5 slides [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved fromhttps://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/

herdingcats, (2008), Word Map, retrieved from http://herdingcats.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/07/word-map.html

Clare Whitmell,The Guardian (2014), How to word your CV for maximum effect

, retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/careers/careers-blog/how-to-word-your-cv-for-maximum-effect