LinkedIn is the world’s largest platform for professional networking. Building a supportive network is essential to career success. LinkedIn can be extremely useful in networking and finding jobs, but also overwhelming. We have a few tips on how to best utilize LinkedIn to reach your career goals.

 

Build a strategy

Before you start making a LinkedIn profile, ask yourself what you want LinkedIn to accomplish. What are your goals you hope to obtain in your career? Write out your career objectives and then tailor your LinkedIn to your goals. Create a plan on how to achieve your objectives.  Start on LinkedIn by following influencers, joining groups and writing a summary that tells your current experience and future goals.  

Make a complete profile

As you start to make your profile, choose a professional headshot as your picture. Fill out your background information such as education, experience, coursework, honors and awards, and skills and expertise based on your goals. Be sure to highlight the most relevant and important sections of your background that focuses on what you want to accomplish in your career. Search keywords relevant to your career and include it in your profile. 

Show off your schoolwork 

Displaying your schoolwork is extremely important because it shows potential employers that you are capable of producing great work. It demonstrates you were an engaged student and makes your profile interesting. You can post a paper, blog post, or video that others can like and comment.   

Connect with professors and employers

Forging relationships with your professors and employers is critical to establishing your credentials. You want to build a professional support system that can connect to you to potential opportunities. Professors and employers are knowledgeable about the industry, job opportunities and skills required.  

Read LinkedIn’s content

LinkedIn produces helpful articles, videos and job postings. You can share, comment and like content on LinkedIn which appears in your activity section of your profile. This shows you are active on LinkedIn and interacting with your network. It’s not enough to have just a profile on LinkedIn. Now, employers are looking at how current your activity is and if you’re aware of trends in the industry.