If someone googles you, LinkedIn is often one of the first results to come up. That is why it's crucial to focus on creating an effective LinkedIn profile while still a student.
LinkedIn is the world's largest professional network, and as a student and job seeker, there are great opportunities in joining this social network. Data from NAV (Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration) in 2020 showed that only 60% of all job vacancies are publicly advertised. Since many jobs are obtained through networking, LinkedIn could be your way into the career you want. To effectively organise and expand your network, you should have a comprehensive LinkedIn profile that effectively showcases your skills. Here are some tips on how to achieve this.
Remember that LinkedIn is accessible on your mobile phone. You can add new contacts every day. You can also update your profile, but it's best to use a computer. A useful tip is to copy the text from a spelling and grammar program to LinkedIn to avoid spelling mistakes appearing in the search engine.
1) Use a good profile and background image
The first thing to sort out is a good profile and background image. Having both increases the likelihood of profile visits by twenty-one times. Your profile photo should look professional, even if taken by a friend using a mobile camera. Remember to smile and be relaxed. Keep in mind:
- choose an outfit that would be appropriate for your future workplace
- use natural lighting and be mindful of shadows
- frame the photo from your shoulders up, with the camera positioned at eye level to ensure easy recognition
- select a calm background
Avoid the following:
- blurry images
- selfies
- filters
- photos in a social setting
On LinkedIn (similar to Facebook), you can also add a background image. Choose something visually appealing that reflects your interests or affiliations. For example, you might use a picture from your university, your place of work, or an activity you enjoy. Make sure to consider how the image might be perceived.
2) Correct contact details
Customise your profile URL on LinkedIn to make it is easy to remember and include in your email signature, or other communications. Remember to use a personal email adress to ensure you can be contacted even after you graduate or change jobs.
3) Create a professional headline
The headline right below your profile picture is a crucial advertising space and can significantly impact your success in getting noticed by potential employers. You have 120 characters to work with, and it's an opportunity to showcase more than just a formal job title. Use keywords that reflect your field of study, important areas of expertise, and your job interests. Think of it as a chance to highlight what you most want to do and what makes you stand out. This could include important subjects you've studied or practical skills that would be beneficial in your target job roles. Using relevant keywords will help potential employers find you, thus increasing your visibility on LinkedIn.
It's important to know which skills are in demand in your desired job market and what keywords are used to describe them. For instance, project management is a keyword that employers often search for. If you have project experience, consider including project management in your headline, even if you're still developing your leadership skills in that area.
4) Write a summary
The summary section is a chance to let potential employers know more about you. The first three lines of the summary are the most important, so take your time to phrase them carefully. Use your summary to mention your key qualifications, goals and ambitions. Aim to be both personal and relevant.
- Where are you now, and what are your aspirations for the future?
- Focus on what you can do for others, whether an employer or clients.
- Include your past experiences, but emphasise your future goals.
- Highlight your professional skills, experiences and personal attributes.
Remember to use keywords in the summary as well. Your profile's most important keywords should be present in your headline, summary, and skills section, which enhances your chance of appearing in search results by potential employers.
5) Education, work and volunteering experience
Fill in your education, work experience and volunteering activities. Remember to tag organisations you've been affiliated with to increase your chances of appearing in searches. Ensure that everything in your CV is included on LinkedIn. You can also provide more extensive information on LinkedIn than in your CV.
- Showcase your achievements by uploading documents or providing links to show examples of your work.
- Link your study programme or other pages that show what you have studied or worked on.
- Elaborate on the subjects or experiences that are relevant to future jobs. You don't need to list all subjects, but it may be helpful to highlight the ones you want to focus on.
6) Highlight your skills
Add skills you have or are in the process of acquiring. The likelihood of recruiters finding you in searches increases when you include a skill that is in demand. Try adding a skill, and you will see that LinkedIn helps you find the right words. If you enter 'Stra', LinkedIn suggests various words related to strategy. You can select the skills that you want to be most visible in your profile.
Remember that your connections can endorse the skills on your profile with just one click. Take a look at their profiles and endorse the skills you know they have. Be generous and you'll find that your connections are likely to reciprocate. Consider who in your network you can ask to endorse specific skills. Don't be afraid to ask.
7) Give and request recommendations
Good references are gold. There's nothing wrong with asking a fellow student, former boss, or coworker to give you a recommendation. It's a valuable opportunity, as a recommendation can help establish a credible impression of you. The recommendation won't be visible on your profile until you approve it.
Perhaps there is a fellow student you want to recommend or a work placement supervisor you want to thank? When you provide recommendations to others, this will also be visible on your profile. LinkedIn is built on a culture of generosity, where we root for each other. How you speak about others says a lot about your character.
8) Be active and accessible
Be active on LinkedIn! The algorithm on LinkedIn tends to prioritise active users in search results. Use LinkedIn to ask questions about topics related to your studies, such as "I'm writing a bachelor's thesis about... and wondering if anyone has experience with...?" or "Can anyone take a survey about...?" Here are some specific tips on how you can become more active and accessible on LinkedIn:
- Make your profile public and experiment with the settings to see how it changes
- Check out other profiles for inspiration and show your curiosity. Don't worry about others knowing you visited their profile; it's seen as a compliment!
- Stay updated on the 'Jobs' tab and save relevant career searches.
- Ask professional or career-related questions. For example, you can share something you've learned and ask if anyone has examples of how it works in practice.
- Like, share, and comment on posts. This helps make you relevant and visible, and can pique others' interest.
9) Follow what interests you
LinkedIn's algorithm is powerful and can provide you with career-relevant information that you won't find elsewhere. You can search and follow companies, individuals and hashtags to help you discover new connections, discussions and articles that might otherwise go unnoticed. What is happening in industries or companies you're curious about? And what is being discussed in your field of expertise? You can also follow hashtags in your feed that catch your interest.
10) Expand your network
You don't have to personally know someone to connect with them on LinkedIn, but it may be useful to provide some context before adding new contacts. Perhaps you have mutual acquaintances or shared interests that pique your curiosity or inspire you? Here are some tips on how to expand your network:
- Be open-minded and add fellow students, colleagues, lecturers, family, friends, and people you meet at seminars, for example.
- Feel free to add people who catch your interest or inspire you. Send a message along with your invitation to explain why you want to connect. This will be appreciated!
- Building a network takes time, so start today and be patient.
- Visit UiA's profile and select the 'Alumni' tab. Search for your study programme and see the type of jobs former students have. Follow those you're curious about and let them know you're a student when you add them to your network.
11) LinkedIn learning
LinkedIn Learning is an online learning platform where you can find courses on various topics that interest you. You can find courses that can help with your current education, but there's also a wide selection of career-related courses. These courses cover areas such as career planning, job hunting, interview techniques and personal branding.
All students and staff at UiA have access to LinkedIn Learning with their UiA account.
Login link: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/
- Click on 'Sign in' at the top.
- Enter your UiA email address (username@uia.no) and press continue.
- You will then see the following message: 'Your organisation requires you to sign in with Single Sign-On'.
- Click on 'Sign in with Single Sign-On'.
You'll then be directed to Feide login where you can login as usual.
Read more about the courses on offer on Linkedin Learning.
If something is missing or you have any questions, please send an email to karriere@uia.no.