Using LinkedIn for Career Success

by the Professional Business Systems Department at Laurus College

A three (3)-step process for using LinkedIn to build career success.

For college students and graduates, it is critical that you build a strong foundation in social media so that you can maximize your professional network. The first ‘layer’ of social media you’ll want to use in building this foundation is LinkedIn.

STEP 1: CREATE A LINKEDIN PROFILE

Most students have done this by the time they have graduated from college. However, there’s more to this then just registering for an account:

Customize Your Public Profile URL. This means your URL will look something like “www.linkedin.com/in/yourname” instead of a URL that contains a set of random letters and numbers. (Learn More).

Complete Your Profile. This includes a Summary Statement, Work Experience, Publications, Projects, Skills, and Education. Think of this as your online resume – invest the time it will take to make this appear impressive to future employers and keep it updated.

For some additional tips on how to improve your LinkedIn Profile, check out “3 Steps to Building Your LinkedIn Profile”

Step 2: Connect

While connecting, please keep in mind that LinkedIn is a professional social media network.

Build connections with fellow students and graduates who are pursuing the same career field as you. Make sure to also connect with your instructors and the career services department at your college (All Laurus College students / grads should have 1st Degree connections established with Greg Gardner).

Join 5-10 groups that are related to your specific career field. LinkedIn groups can be a terrific resource for connecting with other professionals in your field, gaining industry insight, and learning about new job opportunities (Learn More).

In addition, you should join your college’s LinkedIn group if they have one (join the LinkedIn group for Laurus College).

Follow 15-20 companies that you would like to work for. This is a great way to learn more about companies that are hiring in your industry. Plus, by “liking” and “commenting” on their posts, you stand a good chance of being noticed and having your profile viewed by an employee of the company (Learn More).

Step 3 – Begin Networking

Spend 5-10 minutes on LinkedIn every day reading and liking posts, commenting on discussions, and creating new connections. In order to use your time on LinkedIn as efficiently as possible, make sure to customize the types of updates you see on your homepage (Learn More).

LinkedIn is a fast-growing platform for professional networking and an effective means by which to learn about new job opportunities. Follow these three steps and you’ll be on your way to building a strong foundation in social media for career success.

At Laurus College, We Build Success. To learn more about our campus and online programs, please visit LaurusCollege.Edu/Programs.

Leo Craven is the Marketing Director at Laurus College.