Whether you’re still in high school or a rising college student, you know that having work experience in your field is essential for success. LinkedIn has become a useful go-to for students seeking professional internships and entry-level jobs. Hiring managers often look through LinkedIn profiles to scout potential employees in their fields. When filling out job applications, you might notice that employers ask for LinkedIn profiles. Your professional LinkedIn profile is therefore a valuable asset to showcase your achievements and experiences to potential employers.
Your LinkedIn profile should market your skills effectively. Our guide walks you through creating your LinkedIn profile in a way that highlights your skills to maximize your employment and networking opportunities.
The Basics
Your picture is the first opportunity to make a good impression on potential employers. Without a photo, hiring managers and/or HR reps might be put off from reading the rest of your profile as you might come across as a catfish. Unlike other social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram, your LinkedIn photo must be professional. Ensure that you are dressed professionally. It should be a picture of just you, not a group photo with your friends.
LinkedIn asks that profiles require a title, which will convey your position and goals to employers in a few words. When choosing a title, make sure you’re accurate, but don’t limit yourself. For example, if your title reads “Aspiring Data Analyst seeking summer internships,” you may be excluding yourself from opportunities outside of Data Analyst roles, or beyond the upcoming summer. A better title may be “Aspiring business major seeking a finance internship.” This small change means you aren’t limiting yourself to only Data Analyst roles, and are opening yourself to opportunities for the following semesters as well.
The objective section summarizes who you are, what you do, what your strengths are, and what your goals are. It should be brief, but should also include keywords that are often used by applicant tracking systems (ATS). For example, if you are an aspiring medical professional or researcher, be sure to include certifications in your LinkedIn profile such as CPR certification in your objective statement, as well as keywords such as “medical” and “research.”
Background and Experiences
The information you include in this section gives potential employers an idea of the experiences you bring and where you worked, studied or volunteered. They can use this section for context regarding whether you’re fit for their organization or not.
In reverse chronological order, list the job titles you have held and the company names. Take advantage of the “description” section to outline your concrete responsibilities and achievements such as projects you have led at your previous internship or work-study job. Quantifiable data such as number of followers on your blog, or number of applications you read as a student manager can help employers further understand your responsibilities.
List the schools you have attended and degrees you have earned in the Education section. Using the “courses” section to add your classes informs employers whether you’re skilled in certain areas or topics within your field. Include any relevant experience you have had in community service or a volunteer capacity in the Volunteer Experience section. Consider carefully when completing this section.
LinkedIn has a designated “skills” section to make specific skill sets pop to show your readiness for certain jobs. Even if most jobs offer training, employers have certain skills that they’re looking for in applicants. In your LinkedIn profile, select skills that match your strengths, background, and experience. You can select up to 50 skills, but more is not necessarily better.
Your professional LinkedIn profile can be a powerful tool in your job and internship search tool belt. Be sure to use this platform effectively, monitor your activity regularly, and update your profile as needed.
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