Since its launch in 2003 (Ourstory), LinkedIn has climbed the social links and has become one of the most powerful social networking sites in use around the world. To get the most out of this amazing resource, however, you need to put in a lot of effort. As Julie Bort of Business Insider said, “It’s no longer enough to just list your past jobs and schooling.” This site is more than just a resume; it is an interactive guide to you as a professional – take the time to make yourself look good!
It seems like it may be a lot of work, but the site walks you through a lot of the basics. It just takes time – a resource most college students don’t have enough of. When you create your profile it checks, using your email, to see who you can immediately make a connection with. This is an important feature as connections are literally how you network. It shows prospective employers who you know which can make you look better, but this is about quality not necessarily quantity. While many places online recommend having a lot of connections I believe it is better to have a moderate amount of connections, relevant to the careers and jobs you want to pursue, versus 500 people you knew in high school.
Afterwards, it leads you through a series of questions about what you’ve done and what you are doing. This is the segment that makes people wonder about how much information to include. The answer is to remember that LinkedIn is not a resume; it is a form of social media. You are not confined by an extremely short limit on your descriptions of accomplishments, you can include links and documents of your work and most importantly you should be writing informally. Write in first person; this gives you the opportunity to show your future employers what your personality is and that is a luxury the resume never afforded us.
Since LinkedIn is social media and you have connections, some of which may be employers one day, it is a good idea to keep your profile updated with your work. This is different for each field, but if you are a writer keep uploading work you’ve done especially if it is published. If your accomplishments are a growing list that should be reflected by a lengthening profile- there is no limit on how long your profile is. The same goes for artists or photographers. You can submit any form of media onto your profile, so it is good to keep it up to date and interesting.
It is important that you fill out the majority of the information on your profile. In the past it wasn’t so necessary because LinkedIn was just kicking off, so many students like Jeri Murphy, a graduate student in Library Sciences, “…Filled out the minimum necessary to create a profile… a picture, work history, and education” over a year ago, and haven’t updated it since. LinkedIn is a valuable career resource for students, so we should take the time to use it!
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