Developing your LinkedIn profile is crucial to putting forth a strong online persona of yourself, which will help you create strong relationships with recruiters as well as your peers!
Branding Yourself
Many students feel unsure about the best place to start while creating their LinkedIn profile. It’s hard to start when you aren’t entirely sure what your LinkedIn profile’s purpose is and how you want to leverage it. LinkedIn can be used for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to, networking, social media, sharing academic and professional accomplishments, searching for jobs and companies, researching companies, following up with recruiters, and industry research. Take some time to decide what you are creating your LinkedIn for right now. Most people use it for job searching, networking, and sharing accomplishments!
Everyone brings something special to the table, your LinkedIn is a pivotal moment for you to define your uniqueness showcase it on your profile. Consider the following: your talents, your passions, your future goals, current projects, and all the other activities you are doing and plan on doing that set yourself apart from others. Keep a list of values, talents, accomplishments, and interests you want others to see in you!
Aspects of a Profile
You want your profile to have a photo of you so people can put a name to your face. Your photo should be recent, just of yourself, and professional. If you need a headshot, our office has an Iris Air photobooth you can use to update your picture!
Background photos are another great option to allow people to get to know you a bit better! Many students opt to have a picture of Old Main or something relevant to the university as their photo, other people choose a photo of their company, nature, their organization affiliations, etc. Once again, it should be professional in nature, and not overpowering of your headshot!
There are two opportunities for adding content to your profile that makes a first impression for employers: your headline and summary of self. Your headline is a quick, one liner that conveys yourself, your goals, or employment, what you offer, etc.
Headline Examples:
Internship/Job Seeking:
“Marketing junior in the Sam M. Walton College of Business, seeking to expand my current skills in content creation and social media coordination with a corporate internship in summer 2024!”
Skill Summary:
Data Analytics | Python | Excel | Passionate about telling stories informed by data.
Goal Motivated:
Motivated and informed individual with public speaking and teaching experience, seeking positions that amplify these skills in a corporate environment.
Passion/Values based:
Rising leader with passion for conservation, seeking internships in the non-profit field pertaining to environmentalism and conservation efforts.
Your summary of self is a longer opportunity, where people go in depth on their skills, experiences, life philosophy, and background! It should sound very similar to a cover letter pitch or mini biography!
Summary Example:
Hello! I’m a driven college student pursuing an engineering degree at the University of Arkansas, and I’m on the lookout for hands-on internship opportunities in Northwest Arkansas. Eager to apply my classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, I’m passionate about engineering and ready to make a meaningful impact. During my time at the University of Arkansas, I’ve honed my skills in [insert courses] classes, where I’ve gained a strong foundation in mechanical engineering. My coursework has instilled in me a love for problem-solving, creativity, and a thirst for continuous learning. I’m a quick learner, a team player, and I thrive in dynamic environments. I’m not just looking for an internship; I’m seeking an opportunity to contribute, learn, and grow. My adaptability, coupled with my passion for [Your Field], drives my commitment to excel in every project I take on. If you’re seeking an enthusiastic and dedicated intern who is ready to roll up their sleeves and contribute to your team, I’d love to connect. Whether it’s in [Your City] or a remote opportunity, I’m excited to discuss how I can add value to your organization.
Thank you for visiting my profile. Let’s explore the possibilities of working together and making a positive impact in [Your Desired Field].”
All of your relevant work experiences should be compiled onto your resume! You can include relevant information and accomplishments, as well as specific skills gained in the role!
Making Connections and Posts
Making Connections:
Connections allow us to expand our network and function as LinkedIn friends or acquaintances. You do not need to know these people necessarily, but you generally want some form of commonality to create a connection.
Who to connect with:
- Staff and professors on campus you work with or learn from
- Peers from your classes or organizations
- Recruiters from companies you are interested in and people you meet at career fairs
- Parents, family members, family friends
- People you want to get to know professionally
Connection goals:
- 500 connections by the time you graduate and begin job/internship searching!
Posting:
Recruiters want to see people using their LinkedIn. You can do this by keeping up to date information on your profile, engaging with other people’s posts, and making your own posts!
How to make posts:
- Less often than personal social media
- 1-2 times a semester/year, depending on your own interest in the platform!
- Based in work/internship/academic/leadership achievements
- Using pictures and hashtags boost views and engagement!
- #ThisisHowWeIntern
- #HireWalton
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