Smile!

As a student, you may have agonized over what should be your new profile picture.  That sweet mixer on Friday night?  You and your newest boyfriend or girlfriend? Or maybe a picture of you and your best friend chugging a drink or two.

Is that the first impression you would want to give a potential employer?  

Do yourself a favor, print your favorite pics and upload a professional profile photo.

Are you guilty of a profile photo faux pas? Check out this article to find out if your profile is a professional fail.

Refresh Your LinkedIn

If you’ve recently graduated and are actively looking for a job this summer, be certain that your LinkedIn is updated!

LinkedIn is my favorite professional networking website.  Apparently, recruiters love it too.

If you are looking for a new job, make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete, updated and free from typos.  Read articles in your field of interest and post interesting articles to share with your network. Connect with people you have worked for and worked with. Connect with your friends, your parent's friends, and your friend's parents. Reach out to everyone you know.  

The more you grow your network, the more you increase your chances of connecting with someone who can help you find a position.  

Read more here about how 93% of recruiters are using LinkedIn to fill open positions.

Are You Linked? Beginning to Use LinkedIn Successfully (Part IV)

Continuing with our series on LinkedIn...

Now, it is time to expand your network and add more connections.

Begin by looking to your connections’ connections. Are there people that you know that you have not linked with yet?

Have you updated your LinkedIn contacts lately?  There are people that you meet at networking events, colleagues that you reconnect with, and classmates that may have just joined that you should add as a connection on LinkedIn. 

Make it your goal to update your LinkedIn contacts weekly.

Look to your connections’ connections again.  Are there people that you would like to be introduced to?  

Send an email to your connection asking for an introduction.

Continue to grow your LinkedIn network and you will continue to grow your network and networking skills as well. 

Are You Linked? Beginning to Use LinkedIn Successfully (Part III)

Now that you have opened a LinkedIn account, started your profile and connected with people you know, you can expand your outreach by joining groups.

Groups are ways to instantly connect with other LinkedIn users outside of your network.  These groups may be based on general hobbies or careers, but most are more specific.  Some groups that you should consider joining and adding to your profile are groups for:

Your alma mater’s alumni;

Honor Societies members;

Sorority/Fraternity members;

College athletes;

Your Careers (particularly local groups); and

Your College major.

When you join a group, you can make postings to the group and comment on other member’s posts.  In alumni groups, jobs and internships are posted to give alumni the first opportunity to apply for such an opening. 

Are You Linked? Beginning to Use LinkedIn Successfully (Part II)

You have begun creating a well-rounded profile, but you aren’t finished yet. 

Recommendations

Ask for a recommendation from a past employer, coworker and classmate.  These recommendations allow potential employers and clients get a sense of your work ethics, accomplishments and reputation. 

As you ask for recommendations, be certain to write a few for your connections as well.  They will certainly appreciate it.

Summary

Adapt your networking profile to use in the summary section of your profile.  As your career develops, modify your summary. 

These are just a few more details to make your LinkedIn profile stand out. 

Are You Linked? Beginning to Use LinkedIn Successfully (Part I)

LinkedIn is a fabulous social networking site for professional networking.   Unlike other social networking sites, the purpose of LinkedIn is to link professionals to one another.

It is a great site to visualize your network.

With LinkedIn, you can post to your profile and network projects that you are working on, press releases, and professional accomplishments.

After you open your free LinkedIn account, you begin to build your profile.  Use your resume to create a profile that includes your education, past employment, activities, honors, awards, volunteer work and publications.  You can also add links to your blog and website. 

Once you have completed your profile, add a profile photo. 

Now that you have built your profile, you are ready to add your connections.  LinkedIn has a handy tool that imports your email contacts to easily link with the people you email regularly.  You can add more connections by searching names, searching classmates by clicking on your college or university, and colleagues by clicking on your employment positions.

Start your LinkedIn profile today!