Wednesday, July 9, 2014

8 Simple Steps to Build Your LinkedIn Profile

 I LOVE LinkedIn. I’m a total junkie and think it is more powerful than a resume. Why?
  • A resume is a flat document that requires regular updating.
  • LinkedIn is a breathing professional presence. Your contacts can endorse your skills and recommend you. It has built in social proof that you are a great hire.
More than 300 million professionals around the world in over 200 countries and territories agree with me. The growth of this platform is mind boggling.

When it first launched, LinkedIn was aimed at professionals with extensive work experience. Over the last few years, they have added new profile components to help students build an online professional presence including the ability to list courses and extracurricular work.

Students are the fastest-growing demographic with over 39 million students and recent college graduates on the platform.

8 Tips to Build Your LinkedIn Profile:

1. Choose the Right Photo

Have a clean, crisp, and simple background and professional attire. Ensure you are solo in your photo and smiling. Don’t crop a photo from a party or social event (honesty I see this all the time!).
Pro-Tip: Don’t be afraid to dress up and ask a friend/roommate to take a photo. With today’s photo apps (i.e. instagram/photo app editing software) a smart phone photo can look amazing.

2. Have a Relevant Title

The title of Student at XXX University is just plain boring and useless in indicating your goal job.
Your title, photo and location are what show up in a search. Ensure you highlight what you are after.
Example: 4th Year Marketing Student Seeking a 4 Month Co-op 

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