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LinkedIn is the ultimate tool for professionals looking to find new opportunities, expand their network, and promote their personal brand. Not only is this social media channel a great place to search and apply for new roles, but it also acts as an online CV for potential employers to browse through. With this in mind, it is crucial to perfect your LinkedIn profile.
To help you make the most of this online platform, here is our top advice on how to build your LinkedIn profile as a student.
The basics
First impressions count, so aim to create a LinkedIn profile that is as engaging as possible. Considering this, to head up your profile, you should include a professional photograph on LinkedIn. If the image you upload is unprofessional or blurry, then it may set you off on the wrong foot.
Next, take the time to write an informative profile headline that will capture the attention of any reader. It is good to take a storytelling approach when putting together your LinkedIn profile. This is a story about you, your career history, and your future aspirations. Be sure to provide a clear and concise summary that encourages potential employers or recruiters to find out more about you.
Building your profile
Creating the basic foundation for your LinkedIn page is just the first step, you should also make sure that you continually update this as your career or responsibilities evolve. Not to mention, if you are working on personal projects that will make you stand out, then you should also include them on your profile so hiring managers and recruiters can get a feel for the type of individual that you are outside of working hours.
Experience
If you don’t have much experience, then don’t worry. Although it is important to outline any previous job roles or responsibilities that you have had throughout your life to showcase what skills you have developed from them, the experience you have might not necessarily come from a previous job role. Include educational experience, any work experience, or any volunteering you have done in the past.
If you have had previous roles or completed an apprenticeship, then include bullet points of your key responsibilities with some background information on the business as a whole.
Education
As a graduate, or as someone looking to apply for an internship or apprenticeship, this section is important to highlight to a potential employer about what you are learning about and how you have utilised your skills through study. If you have completed a period of study and received a qualification from this, then include the details of your achievement in this section, along with the grade that you achieved.
Interests
This section is the place to let potential employers know what makes you tick as an individual. These days, cultural fit within a business is equally as important as having the right skills for a role. If a business can’t see you fitting in within their current team, then it is unlikely they will offer you a role. Here is the chance for you to showcase your personality and character in a professional environment.
How to use LinkedIn to search for jobs
On LinkedIn, there is a great tool that you can use on your laptop or smartphone to browse for potential roles in specific locations or industries. To access this tool, select this icon in the top banner of your profile:
From here, you will have access to a wide range of jobs across the country for you to apply for. There is also a quick apply option for some roles. This involves you uploading an up-to-date CV to your profile. In some cases, you will be redirected to the company page that you are applying to submit your application. Once you have applied to a role, LinkedIn will automatically follow the company profile for you. That way, it is easier to keep in touch with business changes and updates in real time. To go the extra mile, connect with specialist recruiters in your desired field as they often post job vacancies and job advice to help you with your job search.
