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Everything a student needs to know about LinkedIn

EVERYTHING A STUDENT NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT LINKEDIN

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The importance of being on LinkedIn

Would you like to improve your presence on LinkedIn? LinkedIn is the professional social network par excellence and since its beginning in 2003 has been increasing its active members to more than 300 million members in 200 countries and even surpassing Twitter. In addition, this social platform currently has a growth rate of more than two users per second, with the recent graduates segment as the fastest growing category of users.

But what does being on LinkedIn bring to your career? Firstly, it enhances your online presence. I always recommend to all of the students in my social media marketing courses to optimize their LinkedIn presence. This social network will allow anyone interested in your profile to find you and see your professional profile in detail, which is a great start to building your reputation online no matter if you are looking for work or continuing with your studies. Here are some of the advantages of being on LinkedIn for students or recent graduates:

Establishing professional connections. Being part of an extensive network of contacts can give you access to many thousands of relevant professionals and many other interesting professional people. For example, one of your teachers friends could have worked at a company which you have been trying to get into and this could be an opportunity to get a personal intro rather than going through the normal way of finding work on social media.
Having a customized LinkedIn URL. It is easy to customize your profile settings and so creating your own personal URL as if you have a kind of mini website based on your profile. The main advantage of doing this is the indexation which Google uses to make people find you with ease and speed.
Getting advice from other professionals. Imagine that you are working for someone in your network on a specific project and you do a great job for them. Your work can be endorsed by the client which helps to add value to your CV and also Linked In really like this when you get endorsed as it enhances you profile level within the network.
Showing your accomplishments and work philosophy. LinkedIn is a great environment in that it allows you to post your achievements which in turns shows your capability in the theme you are strong in. Its always a great idea to post any specific awards or past success which adds value to your profile. All this can be used to promote yourself in the best possible way. An organized and professional profile can be a good introduction card to the way you work and how you present yourself. Perception is everything!
Searching for contacts which take you to the job you want. One of the major strengths of LinkedIn is its ability to connect people with common professional interests. It is also easy to search through your contacts for those who have some connection with the work or business of your interest. LinkedIn is one of the most popular ways to get into action when it comes to finding work.

I am a student, what should I consider in my LinkedIn profile?

There is no doubt that building a good profile is essential in taking advantage of your presence on LinkedIn. As a college student looking for work in the labor market, you can start using this network from the start to build a positive image of your presence on the internet and start getting contacts who can help you get into companies and work situations that would otherwise be difficult going through a typical job web site.

If you decide to take the step to build a Linked In profile, one thing you should be aware of is to regularly update your profile, adding and modifying information as you progress in your career, talking about your interests and goals, and collaborating in any group you find interesting and adding value to the LinkedIn community. Adding value is what makes you stand out from the rest.

A good profile on LinkedIn can help you connect with others in multiple ways, and you have no reason to limit yourself to contacts in your sector. It is always interesting to contact professionals from many different areas who can give you a different view or simply having relevant contacts for your career. By the way, here is my LinkedIn profile, remember to add me.

In relation to your LinkedIn profile, here are some tips to consider:

Open your network profile as soon as you can. You do not have to wait until you have three years of studies completed. Companies value the personal evolution that you can reflect on your profile since the start of your studies.
Never leave your profile incomplete and use a professional photograph if possible. You can use Canva to edit your photograph. Nobody really cares about something that is not yet completed, much less those seeking candidates to work.
Always try to expand your contacts network and try to get at least 100 contacts that are key for you.
Periodically update your profile with courses or seminars you attend. Write relevant information.
Join the groups that interest you the most to make new contacts in your area and that could help you in your goals.

Beyond this, there are key aspects of the LinkedIn profile that you should care about. A good header, one that draws attention and makes a good impression, is necessary. Also you need a suitable and actual photo, not the one from your holidays. A title that reflects what you do or study and that encourages people to learn more about you is also something you want to include, as well as some personal links, like your email or blog address. The profile should also include a brief summary, including some information about your background, current interests and future goals. Of course, these sections and the rest available in the profile you complete, must be organized with sense and professionalism. In addition, check the infographic below this article on how to optimize your LinkedIn profile. You might find this article interesting: The 25 Hottest Skills That Got People Hired in 2014.

EVERYTHING A STUDENT NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT LINKEDIN

How to expand your contacts network in LinkedIn

The greatest virtue of a network like LinkedIn is its ability to establish new connections and expand your contacts network so that it can help you get that job once you complete your studies. But to expand your network efficiently, it is not about adding just anyone. The number of contacts must be in proportion to its quality. In fact, it may be uncomfortable to start receiving contact requests from people you don’t know at all.

Therefore, we’ve compiled some tips to help you in the task of increasing your contacts network in an appropriate way focused on the job search after finishing your studies.

The first step is easy. Build a great profile that attracts attention.
Request a connection with as many contacts as you can from your address book as long as you know them in real life and you have a cordial relationship with each other. A good way to assess whether the contact can be used or not is to think of a short description about him. If you’re not able to do it, you probably don’t know him well enough to request contact on LinkedIn.
Be patient. Creating a useful network takes time; maybe it will take you a bit to get really interesting and useful contacts, but it will come. Keep adding people you know to get at least 100 contacts.
Once the network has been formed, you can start using the tool “How you’re connected” to explore new profiles by sectors or companies from the existing connections to find out who can introduce you to new contacts. Try connecting through these intermediaries to be more likely to make contact with the person of your interest, instead of writing him directly.
Collaborate in the groups related to your field, adding value to the discussions with the knowledge you acquire.

The last tip if you want to make the most out of LinkedIn and get a really useful network is to become the person that people want to connect with and who actually responds to the profile you are showing. By doing this, the network will expand by itself. All networking activity must be focused on strengthening your professional goals and not to just meaninglessly expand your network.

EVERYTHING A STUDENT NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT LINKEDIN

How to use LinkedIn to get a job

Faced with the difficulties of the current labor market, LinkedIn appears as a very useful tool that can help you find the desired position according to your professional interests. In order to make this possible, we will review some of the most powerful features that LinkedIn gives you so that the job search gets a little easier and we will see how we orient our presence on this network to find work.

Use the search feature.
LinkedIn has a powerful search system that, based on the terms desired, finds jobs, groups, related companies and professionals working in that sector or activity. Everything can be done quickly and clearly, allowing you to customize filters to focus on those aspects that we are most interested in, for example, only jobs or groups.
Furthermore, in the results obtained, for example, a position at a particular company, LinkedIn is responsible for adding relevant information as: other jobs in the same company, in other companies, related jobs that other people have seen, contacts that may be related to that position, in short, a huge amount of useful information.
Build your professional reputation by providing knowledge
A first step to finding work in the network is to know how to sell yourself well. In otherwords, becoming someone “employable.” To achieve this, you must be recognized as a true professional in your area and for this you need to share your skills and knowledge so that they stand out from the rest. There are multiple ways to get a solid reputation, for example, attending lectures and workshops, making presentations or posting works, among many others that can be shared on LinkedIn to increase your visibility.
Get involved in LinkedIn groups
There are plenty of groups on LinkedIn dedicated to as many topics and interests as one can imagine. The groups are one of the most appreciated network features by the users. Use the groups to send useful, quality content. Invite other members to collaborate with you, through surveys or questions. If you are active and you contribute value, you have an open door to future contacts associated with a job offer.
Take care of your network, someone can hire you
Anyone on your network may be someone interested in hiring you someday. That’s why LinkedIn is a place full of opportunities in this regard and these can appear at any unexpected moment. To be prepared, try to personally connect with your contacts, with a message showing that you are not just another one among the many. The way in which you connect and keep the relationship can be a key aspect that makes that person remember you above the rest, and that difference can be the key to a new job.

If you enjoyed this article on everything that LinkedIn can offer you as a student, please share it on your social networks.

Here is a useful infographic by HubShop on how to optimize your LinkedIn Profile

EVERYTHING A STUDENT NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT LINKEDIN