The Before:
Before LinkedIn, I was very immature.
LinkedIn helped me mature. I know that seems weird . . . a website helped me grow up . . . but it did. I began applying to jobs, making more contacts, learning more about potential industries, and updating my profile. While the positions that I currently hold did not come through LinkedIn, I was offered some job positions through the website. My advice to current college students or recent graduates: use LinkedIn.
1. LinkedIn helps you get your stuff together. Having a profile on LinkedIn that is incomplete is a terrible representation of yourself. If you apply to any jobs or have anyone looking at your profile, it is motivation to make your profile complete. Updating your experience with job titles, companies, dates, and job description are great. The more experience that you have, the better.
2. LinkedIn teaches you basics about resumes and applications. I applied to approximately twenty-five jobs on LinkedIn. With those numbers, you realize that some do not respond, some send you a courtesy thank you, and others are interested in potentially hiring you. Submitting a cover letter is not an option; it is a necessity. Changing your cover letter and resume from application to application are vital. Responding to people's e-mails, while this should be common knowledge, are also critical to advancing in the job process. Show them that you are qualified and that you care.
3. Another great aspect of LinkedIn is company pages. As a college student looking for job in a specific field, I used LinkedIn to check out companies. You can see their company description, connections they have with you, the size of their company, and other information that will help you get a basic understanding of what they do. You can follow a company to stay updated on what they are doing and see job positions that they need to fill.
4. Grow your connections. LinkedIn is not a Facebook or a Twitter, you do not post what you ate for lunch or pictures of your last sorority function that you don't remember. Think of it as a Facebook with a coat and tie. You want people to see you as a professional. Look into the people around your age, reconnecting with those fraternity brothers that graduated a few years ahead of you or people that you knew in an industry you are interested in. Then, connect with other professionals, such as your previous bosses, professors, or family contacts. This will help people know that you are entering, or close to entering, the professional world. A few family friends on LinkedIn messaged me asking about my interests and qualifications, saying they could keep an eye out for potential jobs for me.
2. LinkedIn teaches you basics about resumes and applications. I applied to approximately twenty-five jobs on LinkedIn. With those numbers, you realize that some do not respond, some send you a courtesy thank you, and others are interested in potentially hiring you. Submitting a cover letter is not an option; it is a necessity. Changing your cover letter and resume from application to application are vital. Responding to people's e-mails, while this should be common knowledge, are also critical to advancing in the job process. Show them that you are qualified and that you care.
3. Another great aspect of LinkedIn is company pages. As a college student looking for job in a specific field, I used LinkedIn to check out companies. You can see their company description, connections they have with you, the size of their company, and other information that will help you get a basic understanding of what they do. You can follow a company to stay updated on what they are doing and see job positions that they need to fill.
4. Grow your connections. LinkedIn is not a Facebook or a Twitter, you do not post what you ate for lunch or pictures of your last sorority function that you don't remember. Think of it as a Facebook with a coat and tie. You want people to see you as a professional. Look into the people around your age, reconnecting with those fraternity brothers that graduated a few years ahead of you or people that you knew in an industry you are interested in. Then, connect with other professionals, such as your previous bosses, professors, or family contacts. This will help people know that you are entering, or close to entering, the professional world. A few family friends on LinkedIn messaged me asking about my interests and qualifications, saying they could keep an eye out for potential jobs for me.
The After:
LinkedIn made me grow up, become professional, dress nicer, and be better with the ladies (slight exaggeration).
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