LinkedIn is the largest online professional network, which makes it seem like an overwhelmingly professional space that is intimidating. Posting, connecting, commenting, and profile developing for the first time can be stressful. But hesitating to create your profile could prevent you from those glorious connections you need to assist your growing career. Here’s how to get started.
Do I really need a LinkedIn profile?
Seeing people with competitive internships and high achievements may capture your attention, but don’t let that discourage you. Everyone starts somewhere, and there is only room for improvement when you try something new. Your account is tailored to how you want to display yourself; there are no wrong answers, just appropriate and inappropriate ones.
An updated, clean, organized profile shows something so important: EFFORT! It requires additional work to update, connect, comment, and be involved and included in professional opportunities. A complete profile shows your commitment and serves as a portfolio. It tells a story that your resume alone can not. Your profile shows your skill achievements and how you apply and actively use them. It creates personal branding to shape your budding professional identity.
A resume is a short snippet of your experiences and education. A LinkedIn profile adds depth, showcasing you. It also puts a face to your name and personalizes you, which can be the extra edge you need in an application. This profile shows achievements that don’t make the resume cut, like:
- Meaningful volunteering
- Updates on extracurricular achievements
- Class endeavors
- Semester updates
- Field trips
And everything in between. Showcasing these on your profile with snippets about relevance in regard to your degree adds another layer to you and allows you to spark interest in potential employers and connections. It reflects your effort to be career-ready and adds substance.
A LinkedIn profile can also serve some personal reflection benefits. It organizes your information, so it provides an overview of you. For example, if you feel like your profile is bare, maybe that’s a sign you need to join one more extracurricular, gain one more certificate, or edit one of your sections. Especially for older students, think of what hiring managers want to see on a prospect’s profile.
Developing Your Page
I asked Dr. Robin Selzer, Professor at the College of Cooperative Education & Professional Studies, what she looks for in students’ LinkedIn profiles. “First, don’t have too long of a headline under your name. Second, be sure to have an About section that is around a paragraph. Think of it as your ‘elevator speech.’ Third, don’t include high school in your Education since LinkedIn is really for college and beyond.”
Something that really helped me when I first started my profile was referencing peer accounts. This can be inspiring, but also put into perspective what student accounts look like. Search classmates, members from your clubs, or leaders in the student community. Browsing accounts can show you what captures attention and can give you a reference when deciding what you want to convey.
A proper profile picture is needed; this should be a headshot. You can acquire a clean, polished headshot for free at the Bearcats Career Studio in the TUC by appointment or walk-in.
Then, there is the cover image, which is a banner that visually aligns with your brand. I’ve seen engineering students lean into industrial photos, design students use mediums they are passionate about like nature, medical students use their focused health areas, pictures of specific colleges, and custom banners.
Then there is your headline. The LinkedIn headline shows up next to a person’s name. This is used to state your roles, highlight key skills, or show goals. Ideally, it should make the reader want to view your profile. Here are some suggestions.
You can start by adding:
- Current role/major: Mention your degree, college, major, or program
- Skills or Interests: Highlight relevant skills, certifications, or passions
- Career Goal or Target Opportunity: Include what you are aiming for, like an internship, research, or a specific career
Here are some format examples:
- [University Name] [Major] | Future [Position] | Focusing on [Skill]
- [Study area focus] Enthusiast | [Degree/Major] Student | Interested in [Industry or Field]
- Aspiring [Role] | [Degree] Student at [University Name] | [Relevant Certification/Experience or student involvement]
These could look like:
- Computer Science Student | Python, Java | Aspiring Software Engineer
- Business Administration Student | Excel Certified | Seeking 2026 Internship
- Marketing Student | Social Media & Content Writing Enthusiast | Passionate About Digital Branding
- Psychology Major | Behavioral Psych. TA | Passionate about Mental Health Advocacy
Add media whenever you can. You can attach your resume or University Honors Program portfolio under your featured section, or add photos of experiences or projects completed in your experience section. For example, I have pictures and resources I designed from my internship attached to the job description. This is visually appealing and interesting to look at, and gives perspective. Be sure to add documents/pictures of your certificates.
Another large portion is your about section. This is an explanation of goals, accomplishments, and focuses of your college career. It’s a space on your profile where you share who you are professionally. It ties your profile together, allowing you to elaborate on your goals, where you are currently, connections you make between extracurriculars/classes and your major, etc.
Overall, your account should reflect your desired industry. If you want to be in a field with high human interaction, make it known that you are involved in different groups on campus, you prioritize strong social connections, make an effort to be welcoming, and are comfortable in different environments. Be sure to fill out as many fields as possible.
As for younger students, do not get overwhelmed thinking your profile should look as filled as an older student’s! As long as you continue your involvement and update your profile, everything will come together, sometimes quicker than you would think!
BOO! It’s time for your first post
Assuming you fulfilled the pieces of advice in this article, you have a newborn LinkedIn profile. Now it is time for your first post! These truly can be as simple or detailed as you want. Students use these to showcase their unique educational paths and involvements. You can really post about anything you see fit. Here are some examples I constantly see:
- Extracurricular achievements such as initiations, championships, executive board or leadership opportunities
- Service projects and volunteering
- Meaningful club meetings
- Semester round-up updates
- Impactful classes
- Seminar/summit attendance
- Reposts of peer posts and organizations they align with
- Job updates
- Certifications gained
If there are organizations or departments you can tag, do it! Your post can be short or long; just make sure you have a main point and try to tie in how this is bettering you. Try to articulate impact, contribution, and how this reflects on your character and values.
Profile Maintenance: Maximizing the Platform
Like all social platforms, to have a cohesive account, you need to be consistent. Avoid obsessively checking your notifications, but checking regularly a few times a week can be that extra interaction you need. Comment on peers’ posts, stay updated on job/internship opportunities, check organizations’ profiles, and view your feed. You can also add your profile link in your resume, and some job applications have an option to add your profile in your application. So whenever you feel like your profile is adequate, add it!
Connecting meaningfully is important as well. You can obviously connect with friends or family members, but put effort into connecting with professors, university staff, classmates, campus leaders, TA’s, guest speakers, and people in your desired field as often as possible. Connecting with peers and professors as a student can open doors in honor societies, extracurriculars, and early job postings. This differs from person to person, major to major.
Similar to connecting, following accounts that have causes you are passionate about can tailor your algorithm and inspire you! These don’t have to connect to your career path, but it’s good if you can follow a mix of both.
While LinkedIn may seem to present itself as a purely competitive platform, it really is what you make it. Building a completed profile works to show yourself, which is what people want to see! So by the time you graduate, your profile will be a showcase of active career preparation and involvement. Your future self will thank you!