5 Tips For Your LinkedIn Profile
All of us seem to be told to have a LinkedIn, but it can be extremely daunting when you first try to set up your profile, especially as a student without a ton of work experience. LinkedIn seems like it's especially geared towards those in the corporate world, but I promise, it's worth it to have a professional presence online where future employers, recruiters, and those you want to network with can find you.
So if you don’t have an account, go make one, fill out any volunteer or professional experience you have, then come back here and set it up along side me with my 5 tips for your profile!
Complete the “About” Section
State who you are, what you’re studying and where, and what your career interests are. You should update this now and then so it's updated to reflect your current status. LinkedIn works as a search engine, so the more keywords relevant to your desired field, the better. This will also change as you enter the early stage of your career too. Keep it simple and to the point of who you are.
2. Add Projects & Presentations
Have you completed a large-scale project like an honors thesis, a teaching portfolio, a media project, etc? These are all great things to include on your profile that demonstrate the types of skills you’re learning during your degree. Maybe you presented your research or had a large-scale presentation, or maybe you’re part of an organization. These are also things you can post about and share your involvement with each of them.
3. Add Media
LinkedIn has a great feature where you can add media to any of your experiences in addition to posting updates within the main feed. Say you’re a teaching artist, you could include examples of lesson plans or student work. Perhaps you were featured in an article or have a video of you presenting your research. These are great ways to showcase your experiences beyond written descriptions.
4. Add a Cover Photo
Play into school, work spirit, or whatever institution or industry you want to work in. Grab a picture of campus, a picture of where you work, or something you want to work in. For example, I have archeology student friends who have photos of field sites as their cover photo. Just make sure it's professional and communicates a cohesive narrative of who you are. You may really love French Bulldog puppies, but this isn’t the place to feature them.
5. Add Coursework
If you have zero experience, this is a great way to start showing what you’re learning and what skills you’re learning during your time in school. These are things you wouldn’t consider being relevant on a resume, but LinkedIn is a great place to list them since there isn’t a restriction on space and allows a much fuller picture of who you are.