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How to get to grips with LinkedIn ahead of your future career

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So you’re about to graduate. How are you going to get hired? Statistically, it seems like social media is going to have a pretty hefty role to play.

More than three-quarters of employers use social media for recruitment – and almost all of those are using LinkedIn in particular. Are you ready for them to land on your page?

LinkedIn can feel like a double-edged sword. It puts the great mass of employment opportunities in one place – but also the great mass of your rivals for those same vacancies! Fortunately, in the 21st century, personalities and connections have a big part to play, and employers understand that recruitment isn’t about getting the best person for every job, but the right person for the right role. LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to share not only your regular qualifications, but a sense of who you are and where you’re going.

For these reasons, it’s important to carefully tailor your LinkedIn page even while you’re still studying. It’s not like a CV you’ll hand over at the point of application; rather it’s a living profile that you will use to make connections and give an ongoing idea of what you’re up to week by week.

So begin by making the page yours with a free, personalised URL and a decent headshot that looks both professional and down-to-earth. Your cover photo is a great opportunity to express something broader about yourself, for example showing you in action at work or at play (more ‘uni football team’ than ‘student union bar’).

Don’t neglect to personalise your headline, especially since LinkedIn automatically fills it with your current job position if you don’t – and if that’s a completely unrelated Saturday job, it’s not going to do you much good. If you don’t yet have much experience or a job to boast about, think about using your headline to emphasise the qualification you’re about to secure and the short-term professional achievements that you’re passionate about fulfilling. You can use the Summary section to add more details about work you’ve done, and key qualifications and experience.

Already, you’re setting yourself aside from the competition! But now it’s time to reach out and open a dialogue – putting the ‘social’ in ‘social networking service’.

You can start by getting yourself some credibility. This means making plenty of connections (don’t start spamming strangers, but don’t be afraid to search for your professors, classmates, and previous employers) and asking the ones who you’ve impressed to give a personal recommendation.

If you’re confident you know what you’re talking about, you can start publishing short form articles on the platform to get your voice out there. If you’re still gaining confidence and feel you need more experience before you start spouting off, it doesn’t hurt to show up in the comments of your peers’ articles – thanking them for their insights, or asking more questions to show you’re engaged and eager to learn.

Sounds like plenty to get on with? Try working through this new visual guide to LinkedIn so you don’t miss a trick!

Get to grips with LinkedIn

Do you have any more advice on how to get to grips with LinkedIn? Do tell us in the comments below.

Featured image: Mambembe Arts & Crafts / Flickr

Marilyn VinchHow to get to grips with LinkedIn ahead of your future career

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