LinkedIn is a powerful platform for anyone in the professional world, as well as students.
It can help you as a student investigating your career interest and the companies you would like to work for.
Surprisingly, the statistics show that recent grads and current students who have a LinkedIn account actually represent only 10% of LinkedIn’s user base.
When applying for positions you will notice that many companies have adopted LinkedIn as a way to screen candidates more effectively. That helps to gain a sense of who you are.
So, dear student, why not investing a bit of your time while in confinement creating or improving your LinkedIn profile ?
Need some quick tips, here you are:
- Select a professional profile picture: You want to make a good first impression. Do not use an Ibiza holiday picture.
- Make a headline description: If you are a young graduate, you can use your graduation title as the headline description, you can also stand apart from the crowd with a unique headline that tells visitors more about you. Here are some ideas to stand out with your headline and to attract more visitors:
- Speak to your visitors directly in a LinkedIn headline. something like: 'Do you need a supply chain wizard?'
- Make sure your headline is action-oriented. Using action verbs, such as ‘Created,’ ‘Sold,’ ‘Managed,’ ‘Designed,’ and ‘Assisted’'.
- Be proud of your accomplishments: Show off the awards that you have won or your patents. For example, a LinkedIn headline that says: 'Winner of the XXX Foundation Young Scientist Award for designing XXX" is one way of telling visitors about yourself.
- Include your contact information: Make sure people can contact you the way you want. Verify and update your contact information frequently.
- Make use of the summary section: Write a small summary where you highlight your qualities and inform on your professional goals. popular keywords that are common in your domain of interest so recruiters will easily find you based on your skills and knowledge.
- Use your CV as a guide
- Describe your experience: Although as a young graduate you do not have so much experience, do describe what you did during student jobs, internships, hobbies, voluntary work,…. This can be interesting for recruiters to read. For example, if you were an active member of a boy scout, it shows you are a team player, a coordinator, or maybe you do have leadership skills.
- Add skills: add at least five skills.
- Grow your network:
- Connect with as many relevant people as possible. It is all about networking. Add a gentle note to any contact request you might send.
- Join LinkedIn Groups and be active in these groups by responding to posts and creating your own posts.
- Follow companies and re-share content that both individuals and companies post on LinkedIn. Follow Intys!
- Show relevant activity: The more you post yourself or like posts of connections, the more you become visible to other people.
These tips could help you get a foot in the door and actually, that might help you clarify your goals in terms of establishing your career.
So, if you’re still a university student or a recent graduate, and you want step up your career and professional online profile, open up your LinkedIn app and prepare the next exciting chapter of your life. Connect with those closely associated with your interests and goals. build a professional network, and find your first job!