A LinkedIn profile has become an essential tool for students looking to launch their careers after graduation. With over 575 million users worldwide, LinkedIn is the largest professional networking platform and a vital resource for students to build their professional brand, network, and land jobs and internships. According to a survey by National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 77% of employers use LinkedIn to vet candidates during the hiring process. Having a strong LinkedIn presence can help students stand out from the crowd in the competitive job market.
Why Should Students Create a LinkedIn Profile?
Here are some of the key reasons why it’s important for students to create and optimize a LinkedIn profile while still in college:
Professional Branding
A LinkedIn profile allows students to build their professional brand online. With a complete, polished profile, students can highlight their skills, achievements, credentials, and experiences to market themselves to potential employers and connections. Profiles with a professional headshot, description of career goals, and examples of major projects/work samples help convey one’s personal brand.
Networking Opportunities
With a wide network of professionals and alumni already on LinkedIn, students can connect with people in their desired industry to build relationships and grow their network. They can join relevant industry groups, follow companies, and connect with recruiters, potentially leading to career opportunities. Expanding one’s network increases visibility.
Access to Insights and People
Students can use LinkedIn to research companies, view employee profiles, and gain insights to inform job interviews and applications. The platform recommends connections, jobs, groups, and content based on profile details. This helps students find the right people and information to advance their career.
Showcase Skills & Achievements
From technical abilities to soft skills, students can select from LinkedIn’s extensive skill endorsements to showcase their capabilities. Recommendations from professors, internship managers, or collaborators also validate one’s talents. Students can demonstrate results by adding projects, honors, courses, organizations, and more.
Apply for Jobs & Internships
With easy access to thousands of job and internship listings, students can search for relevant opportunities on LinkedIn and directly apply using their profile information. Many employers post openings exclusively on LinkedIn. Profiles with optimized details and engagement are more likely to rank high in employer searches.
How Should Students Optimize their LinkedIn Profile?
To maximize the benefits of LinkedIn, here are some key tips for students to optimize their profile:
Professional Photo
A quality headshot dressed in professional attire makes a strong first impression on visitors to your profile. It also helps others easily recognize you.
Customized URL
Create a customized LinkedIn URL with your name to establish your personal brand and make your profile link more memorable/shareable. Ex: www.linkedin.com/in/firstname-lastname
Concise Headline
Summarize your experience, aspirations, and what you offer in a short, compelling headline targeting your desired roles. Ex: Aspiring Marketing Analyst | Smith College Class of 2024
robust Summary
Use the summary section to provide an “elevator pitch” overview of your abilities, experience, education, goals, and what makes you unique. Optimize with relevant keywords. Keep it concise and engaging.
Skills Section
Add at least 5-10 key skills – both technical (coding, software, etc.) and soft skills (communication, teamwork, etc.). This helps you get found in searches and endorsements validate capabilities.
Experience & Projects
Highlight paid and volunteer experiences, internships, course projects, and activities. Demonstrate impact and results. Use quantifiable facts/data. Include photos, presentations, links, etc.
Education
Provide details on your college, major/minor, courses, study abroad programs, and graduation date. List any awards, honors, relevant course projects, and research.
Recommendations
Ask managers, professors, or collaborators to write a recommendation highlighting your strengths, character, and work you did together. Testimonials help build your brand.
Accomplishments
Add achievements like volunteer work, languages, certifications, clubs, athletics, conferences attended, and publications. These show well-roundedness.
Connections
Grow your network by connecting with other professionals and following relevant companies/organizations. Interact by liking and commenting on others’ posts to build relationships.
What LinkedIn Features Should Students Use?
Here are some of the key LinkedIn features and activities students should participate in to maximize their profile’s effectiveness:
Groups
Join relevant professional, industry, alumni, and interest groups to connect with like-minded members, share advice, find job openings, and position yourself as an expert. Engage in discussions.
Company Pages
Follow pages of target employers to learn about their culture, projects, and team. This shows interest and helps prepare for interviews. See open opportunities.
LinkedIn Learning
Take free online courses to build your hard and soft skills. Add completed courses to your profile and Accomplishments section to showcase new abilities.
Articles & Posts
Share, like, and comment on articles and posts from your connections to further engage with your network and industry. Post your own content as well.
Job Applications
Use LinkedIn Jobs to find openings at your target companies. Apply directly through LinkedIn by submitting your full profile. Track applications.
Career Pages
Research companies and roles by reviewing their Career Pages for insights, employee testimonials, hiring process tips, and open positions.
Salary Insights
Use LinkedIn Salary to research typical pay for roles in specific industries and locations to determine expectations and negotiate offers.
ProFinder
Hire freelancers through ProFinder to receive help with your resume, LinkedIn profile, career coaching, and interview prep if needed.
How Should Students Manage their LinkedIn Presence?
To maintain their LinkedIn presence after graduating, students should:
Keep Profile Updated
Add any new positions, accomplishments, skills, projects, or education credentials as they come. Outdated profiles risk being ignored.
Engage with Network
Like and comment on connections’ posts, congratulate them on work anniversaries, and share relevant articles to maintain relationships.
Join New Groups
As your career progresses, join additional LinkedIn groups relevant to your changing experience, interests, and goals. Great for networking.
Follow New Companies
Follow pages of employers you are interested in or are connected to your network to stay aware of company news, openings, and trends.
Expand Skills Section
Add new skills as you gain them through work experience, training, higher education, conferences, and certifications to keep profile up-to-date.
Request New Recommendations
As you take on new roles and projects, request references from new managers, colleagues, or clients to endorse your evolving skills and qualifications.
Monitor Privacy Settings
Periodically check your privacy settings and be selective in what is visible to different audiences (public, connections only, etc.). Update as needed.
Watch Profile Views
Monitor the Who’s Viewed Your Profile section for important names and companies and analyze why they may be interested in you. Follow up.
Conclusion
Creating and optimizing a LinkedIn profile is a valuable investment every student should make in their professional future. By strategically highlighting their qualifications, experiences, accomplishments and goals on LinkedIn, students can build their brand, network with the right people, and position themselves for successful careers after graduation. Maintaining and evolving their presence on LinkedIn beyond college is also crucial. With a complete, dynamic LinkedIn profile, students demonstrate their potential to future employers and pave the way for the opportunities they desire.
Benefit | How LinkedIn Helps Students |
---|---|
Professional Branding | Showcases skills, credentials, experiences, and goals |
Networking Opportunities | Connects with professionals and alumni in desired industry |
Access to Insights & People | Allows research on companies, employees, jobs, groups, and content |
Showcase Skills & Achievements | Highlights skills, recommendations, honors, projects, and results |
Apply for Jobs & Internships | Access thousands of openings and directly apply through profile |
Profile Optimization Tip | Reason |
---|---|
Professional Photo | Conveys strong, trustworthy first impression |
Customized URL | Establishes personal brand and memorable profile link |
Concise Headline | Summarizes your brand and offering to target roles |
Robust Summary | Provides “elevator pitch” overview with keywords |
Skills Section | Showcases skills to get found in searches |
Experience & Projects | Demonstrates impact and results with quantifiable facts |
Education Section | Highlights achievements, courses, graduation details |
Recommendations | Provides third-party testimonials on your work |
Accomplishments | Shows well-roundedness and achievements |
Connections | Grows network and opportunities |