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Developing Your LinkedIn Profile
Every college student should have a LinkedIn profile! Don’t worry if you don’t have much—or any—professional work experience yet. You can still build a presence that helps you define your career goals and connect to the professional world. A strong online presence opens doors to internships, alumni connections, and future career opportunities.
1. Take a professional photo
This doesn’t have to be a studio headshot, but it's a good idea to have someone who can take a photo of you in good lighting looking professional. If you’re unsure of what to wear or how formal to go, check out some of the other professionals on LinkedIn in your field of interest or fellow college students.
2. List your desired job in your headline
Your LinkedIn headline is a great place to define your profession. Use industry-relevant keywords to make your profile more searchable and appealing to recruiters. Focus your headline to tell others what role you can do or want to do. People can find out where you are in the process of gaining experience, finishing school or earning certifications in the rest of your profile, so keep your headline focused on your primary career goal.
3. Add relevant experience only
Your Experience section is a place to add any work you’ve done that’s relevant to the profession you want. If you’re lacking work experience, add in internships, volunteer work, leadership experience, extracurricular activities or other related involvement and training you can think of to compensate. Under each job title, write a short paragraph about what you accomplished there rather than listing a bunch of bullet points. Your profile should tell more of a story about your experience than a resume would.
4. Build your network
There are plenty of professional organizations and industry associations you can join on LinkedIn. To build your network, when you meet someone in class, a networking event, a coffee chat or any other occasion involving a potential life connection, you should add them as a LinkedIn connection.
LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to attach a note to any connection request. Write a brief personalized message saying hello and reminding the person how you met or explaining why you’d like to connect. Once you’re connected to a core group of professionals, check out their connections on LinkedIn and begin adding secondary connections. It’s easier to add mutuals when there’s just one degree of separation.
5. Get recommendations
Don’t hesitate to ask professors, employers, or mentors to write a few lines about your achievements. This strengthens your credibility in the eyes of recruiters. Did you have a great supervisor at an internship? What about a mentor who taught you the ropes? A leader at your volunteer group who inspired you? The best way to get recommendations is to give them. Rather than just requesting recommendations from people you know or have worked with, give them one and they’ll likely return the favor. Recommendations provide third-party validation of your skills and work ethic.
LinkedIn is a powerful tool for college students to network with professionals, search for jobs and internships, and build their professional brand. Your LinkedIn profile is your digital resume, so it's crucial to make a good first impression.
For more information click below https://www.linkedin.com/blog/member/product/student-job-seekers-tips-to-building-the-perfect-linkedin-profile
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