While most of us may view LinkedIn as a tool for working professionals, to network and find new jobs, it is also a tool for university students to showcase their talent and it can be just as important as our resume. In fact, we can think of LinkedIn as an online resume!
With more than 660 million LinkedIn users worldwide, 46 million of them are students. Millions of jobs are also being posted every month by more than 30 million companies that use the platform. Plus, more than 75% of recruiters use LinkedIn to search for new talent.
Therefore, here are the 6 reasons why students should be on LinkedIn.
1. Create our identity in the professional world.
Many students struggle with the idea of being on LinkedIn. They see it as bland or even a little bit boring. Wrong! Think of our LinkedIn profile as our professional brand to share with the world. It’s the result that we want people to see when they Google us. Our LinkedIn profile is our identity to companies, universities, colleagues and people who we want to stay connected to when we make that transition from student to professional.
2. Build our professional brand.
It’s the perfect platform for us to showcase our knowledge, our insights and get noticed in front of up to 350 million professionals, including fellow classmates, recruiters, and future employers. With LinkedIn we have the opportunity to blog, vlog and slideshare. A great way to build influence and thought leadership
3. Increase Exposure.
LinkedIn members are people too. They are professionals. They are key business decision makers. Connect with LinkedIn members, ask them questions and share ideas. Observe new trends and how industry leaders go about doing things. LinkedIn is a great network to learn from industry professionals, those at our level and above. So connect and interact with the right people, tell them our story and we might see opportunities present themselves.
4. Explore what other graduates have been up to!
Starting a job hunt and have a specific company in mind? Use the Alumni Tool to find the graduates at our university who work there now. Compare their skills with ours and see which area we might need to improve. Don’t be afraid to reach out to them with questions. It’s a great way to put our foot in the door.
5. Learn more about the company we are interested in.
Check out the company’s LinkedIn page. Get more information on the hiring process and what people have to say about that organization. It’s a great way to stay ahead of your competition.
6. Let companies find us!
A large number of organizations look for talented candidates on social networking platform. If we have a good, detailed professional profile, chances are we are going to attract employer’s attention. We can also make potential employers aware that you are looking for opportunities.
