By Lauren Kazemekas '24As you start to develop in your career you need to expand your network and make a name for yourself on professional networking platforms. LinkedIn is a social network where you can manage your digital identity, engage with professionals in your desired field, and access career-related insight, knowledge, and opportunities. Beyond simply having a LinkedIn account there are initial steps you need to take to expand your visibility and boost your influence on LinkedIn. The Basics – Photos, Work Experience, and Interests On LinkedIn it’s essential to present yourself in a more professional manner than you would on other social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook. Your profile picture is the first impression people get when they look at your LinkedIn profile, so it should be a professional headshot or other well-taken photo of yourself. The photo could even be taken on your smartphone with good lighting. There is also an option to add a cover photo to represent yourself. The cover photo on my LinkedIn profile is a photo of the Marist College campus, which indicates my love for my college. Other people choose to put plain backgrounds or their company’s logo as their cover photo. When you add work experience, make sure it is updated and leave off things that are irrelevant. Include leadership roles and internships you have had. Unless you are first starting out, you will not need to include part-time jobs unrelated to your studies or temporary assignments that lasted less than a month. LinkedIn also has the feature to add interests to your profile, which is an excellent way to follow news on companies and your college or university. Your interests should show people industries and companies you are passionate about. I follow companies like Amazon, Forbes, and The Hartford on LinkedIn. Adding Your Resume and Work Samples Using LinkedIn employers can view your profile and assess your performance before they meet you. For this reason, you are able to upload multiple resumes on LinkedIn. It is important to both list work experience on your profile and post your resume even if the content is similar because you will appear in more searches if you do so. There are standards to meet for resumes that can vary depending on the job you are applying for. But it’s always a good idea to upload at least a general resume on your profile. You should also upload work samples such as photos, videos, writing, or other projects/presentations to your profile. This content will show employers your technical capabilities and be able to back up skills that you list. Making Connections But how do I connect with others on LinkedIn? Well, it is very similar to other social media platforms. You can look people up or check your recommendations, which are based on content on your profile. You are able to join groups, check out events, and even go through your contacts to see which ones are active on LinkedIn. You should request anyone in your network such as faculty and staff from Marist College, former co-workers, and previous supervisors. Also reach out to family, friends, and people who work at a company you aspire to work for. The more you reach out, the better chance those connections become meaningful. Reposting and Sharing Articles As you start to connect with others on LinkedIn, you have the ability to repost what they share. You can share your own posts as well. Many people share articles dealing with business, health, or other aspects of professional development. By sharing and reposting content, your connections can see what you value. Different options for reacting to content on LinkedIn allow for uplifting ways to connect with colleagues. Now that you have a background of LinkedIn, it is time to start creating your profile and making those connections. It is crucial for your professional development to join and be active on platforms like these and use them to your advantage. These steps should help expand your influence and make a name for yourself when applying for all types of opportunities.
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