With over 830 million users, LinkedIn is the #1 social media platform dedicated to helping people build their professional network. A person’s network can help them meet new people, make professional connections, and maybe even land a job or internship! No matter what stage you’re at in school or in your career, making a LinkedIn now is a great way to start expanding your network. Here are 4 reasons you need a LinkedIn profile and some tips on how to create yours effectively!

Create your professional network

Have you ever heard the saying “It’s not always what you know, it’s who you know”? This applies to your professional network! Your network can open new doors to opportunities to help you level up in your career. Your network can consist of anyone you’ve worked with in any capacity - bosses, coworkers, members of clubs you were on, sports teammates, coaches, and maybe even a few trusted educators. Your network can vouch for you, introduce you to new people, provide references for you when applying for jobs, and so much more. After you create your profile, reach out to your network and send them an invitation to connect!

Build a professional online presence

You may not want recruiters and hiring managers scrolling through your Instagram or TikTok, but you definitely want them to see your LinkedIn! When you apply for a job or internship, your prospective employer will likely Google you and oftentimes, your profile will show up at the top of the search results. Consider your LinkedIn profile to be your online resume - it should make a meaningful first impression on potential employers and connections and showcase your skills, education, awards, and traits that make you the best candidate for a job. To make a lasting impression, it’s important your profile has a few key components:

• Professional email - Use a reliable email address that you can easily access when creating your LinkedIn. It is not recommended to use an email associated with your school, since you may lose access to it in the future. It’s also important that the email you use is simple, professional, and contains your full name.
• Headshot photo - Your headshot photo doesn’t need to be fancy! We recommend choosing one that shows you above your shoulders and clearly shows your face.
• Education and experience - Including your educational background, any professional training, and previous work experience shows future employers how you can contribute to their company. If you’re in college, include your major to help attract employers from your field of interest!
• Extracurricular activities - List all clubs, organizations, and community service you’ve participated in to give potential employers a glimpse of your character and interests outside of school and work. Be sure to include any leadership roles (like being a club president) to demonstrate skills like organization, responsibility, and leadership.
• Skills - List your professional skills to show potential employers that you have the credentials to get a job done. Professional skills like customer service are transferable to any job, so be sure to add them. It’s also important to include any technical skills like proficiency in Microsoft Word or speaking a second language. All of these skills will go a long way in setting yourself apart from the competition!

Find a job or internship

LinkedIn has a job board where you can search for and apply to jobs and internships. In fact, many employers use LinkedIn as their primary source to recruit and hire new employees! LinkedIn will send you alerts about jobs that may match your interests that you can apply to directly by sending your profile and providing your resume. Even if you are not actively looking for a new job, it’s always important to keep an eye on any future opportunities.

Professional growth

LinkedIn offers fantastic (and completely free!) resources to its users, such as professional and interest-based groups, articles, videos, and training. Be sure to take advantage of these resources to learn new things, meet new people, and even gain some new skills!

Need some help setting up your LinkedIn profile or looking for a job? Just text #Jobs to 33-55-77 and one of our job coaches will answer your questions! If you're using a mobile device, click here to have the text message set up for you.