Keeping up with LinkedIn can be difficult for busy college students, especially in a world in which we are flooded with social media platforms. It can be overwhelming to keep track of them all. One platform that has easily fallen through the cracks for me is LinkedIn. However, it is important to stay active on LinkedIn, no matter how much you may prefer to spend time posting on Instagram or browsing Twitter. Many of these platforms are great ways to brand yourself and build an online presence, but LinkedIn stands out because it is frequently used by recruiters to search through countless graduates and find their next hire. If your profile hasn’t been touched for a while like mine, here are a few ways you can revamp your LinkedIn and get back in the game.
Update your profile picture
Your profile picture should be professional, but also reflect your aspirations and interests. These can change, so if you have picked up a new skill or passion, try taking a new photo to convey this. You can choose a photo from a recent trip abroad, an event, or anything that expresses who you are in a professional way.
Revise your headline
Make sure your headline reflects any current position you have, whether that be an internship, organization officer, or an aspiring professional in the field that interests you. Your headline is important not only because it is one of the first things recruiters see, but also because it contributes to the opportunities that you match with on the app such as open job positions. Try to avoid having “student” as your only headline, especially if you are graduating soon.
Interact and share
After you ensure your profile is updated and reflects your skills and goals the best it can, you want to start drawing people to it. You can begin by simply interacting with others’ posts. This includes, liking, commenting and sharing posts you find intriguing. I think this is important because not everyone will necessarily interact with your posts if you don’t interact with theirs as well. This leads to sharing your own original content, such as posting blogs, projects or photos of any other events or work you created or contributed to. This is another significant way of expressing not only who you are, but what you can do.
Reach out and connect
Once your account is relevant and active again, the next thing you can do is begin reaching out to others to connect. It is always beneficial to connect with Temple alumni – owls are everywhere! Reach out to those in your field or who work at a place you are interested in and introduce yourself. You never know what opportunities this may lead to.
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