Your Career Services

Why LinkedIn?

Why LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is home to over 575 million professionals. Enhancing your profile can give you an advantage so that recruiters, consultants, entrepreneurs and hiring authorities can’t resist connecting with you.

LinkedIn is not a place for social networking; it is strictly for professional networking and for staying informed about your contacts and industry. It’s a place where you can exchange information, ideas and opportunities.

As the website says, LinkedIn is to reconnect with your past and present colleagues and classmates; it is to help power your career; and it is to share advice and expertise with other professionals in your industry.

• LinkedIn serves as a calling card

• Today’s businesses use it as a culling tool when hiring new employees, if you’re not here, you may not get the job

• Many employers won’t even consider you without a profile

• Recruiters use it to find qualified candidates for open positions

• Can help you find jobs and keep up with industry trends

• Provides an outstanding resource with which to meet people and network within your chosen field

• Some employers use LinkedIn as a source to find candidates before posting a position

Now, let’s get started.

Creating a LinkedIn Profile That Attracts Attention

Sales professionals know the importance of branding, but not all students think of themselves as a brand. However, your online presence does represent you as a personal brand, so you need to make sure you are leveraging social platforms in the best possible way.

The summary section on your LinkedIn profile is by far the most important piece of information there. It has your value proposition and your branding statement. It is wise to research and identify the keywords and terminologies in your industry and include them in your profile. You can also make use of the summary section to identify your strengths and core capabilities. The content in your profile must come across as compelling information presented in a grammatically correct and coherent way, so you must proofread your account. LinkedIn offers the opportunity to ask for recommendations or endorsements from your former colleagues. This can be a useful tool in providing evidence of real world experience and work ethics. Including your email or phone number is a personal call, if you want to be contacted via telephone or email leave that info in the top 1/3rd of your profile. Be clear on the reason you are on LinkedIn.

Your LinkedIn profile is one of the most valuable tools in the spectrum of social networks. And there are a number of ways you can make it more buyer-centric to ensure that it attracts the right people: your prospects. Here are some key questions to think about while you’re building your LinkedIn profile.

Interview Talking Points

Being given a job offer depends on the mistakes you avoid as much as the things that you do well. Interview nerves are normal and to be expected; the key is to put them in your favor by harnessing that nervous energy and putting it towards your mental and physical preparation. The potential new employer wants an assertive and dynamic employee, but someone who is not as assertive and dynamic as he or she is, so take your cue from the interviewer. Apart from your answers, the most significant details are in your body language, confidence and preparation. Know your resume and your accomplishments and have your statistical information well at hand. Be prepared.
Confidence, creativity, and a positive attitude are more often than not exactly what employers are on the lookout for. Companies are looking for quick thinkers who possess the skills needed to solve problems at the drop of a hat. Answer quickly and confidently, and you’ll be sure to make a great impression.

Basics of Freelancing

As with any endeavor, it all comes down to your work. It’s about initiative and getting work done. Students should be aware that freelance work is harder, not because of the art skills, but because you must be a savvy entrepreneur. Here are some helpful tips:

• Freelance portfolios demonstrate your art style and skill level.
• Your portfolio/reel will showcase your best work and is easy to access. Recruiters will move on to the next person if they can’t access your work and see it from different angles.
• Consistency is key! You need to consistently be working on projects and improving your skill set and portfolio.
• Regarding competition, it’s not about who's the best, but who's reliable.
• Clients are looking for artists who can deliver, can complete a project under a negotiated rate and time.
• As a freelancer you must be “Hungry for work.” You are the business, you must always be looking for projects and networking within the various communities, either in person or online.
• Don’t expect people to come to you, you are the one who will have to make connections.
• Keep your portfolio ready to show to anyone, at any time. Make business cards, and be prepared to hear the ideas of others. These situations can be opportunities to work on new projects.
• It is essential that you hone your craft. It’s a competitive world out there. If you want to get noticed, you need to stand out.
• Quantity of work builds the portfolio. When there are enough pieces to demonstrate your skills, improve the quality of that work.

This is your business! - if you don’t promote it - and believe in it, it won’t work. This takes commitment and focus. The first few years will be hard. Establishing yourself as a brand that is trusted and competent - must be your purpose in life. If you are going to do something, do it all the way or don’t do it at all. “Do or do not, there is no try.” Yoda hit the nail right on the head.

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