Having a strong online presence is becoming increasingly important for students and young professionals. LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform, with over 660 million users worldwide. Creating a LinkedIn profile as a student can be very beneficial in a number of ways.
What is LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is a social media platform designed specifically for professional networking and career development. Users create profiles summarizing their education, work experience, skills, accomplishments, and interests. You can connect with other professionals in your industry or location.
LinkedIn allows you to:
- Create an online resume
- Connect with professionals in your desired industry
- Join industry groups and forums
- Search for jobs and internships
- Get noticed by recruiters
- Expand your professional network
Unlike other social networks like Facebook or Instagram, LinkedIn is focused entirely on career and business connections. The platform is dedicated to being a tool for professional advancement.
Benefits of a LinkedIn profile for students
Here are some of the key benefits students can gain from creating a LinkedIn profile:
Professional online presence
A LinkedIn profile establishes your professional online presence before you even enter the workforce. Recruiters and hiring managers are increasingly looking at candidates’ LinkedIn profiles. Having one allows you to put your best foot forward.
Networking opportunities
You can connect with professionals working in your target industries. Doing so provides networking opportunities and a chance to gain insider knowledge and career advice. You may even be able to find mentors through LinkedIn connections.
Search for jobs and internships
Many companies post job and internship opportunities on LinkedIn. You can search for relevant openings and get notified when something that matches your interests and skills becomes available.
Showcase skills and accomplishments
Your LinkedIn profile serves as an online resume highlighting your background. You can provide details on your education, experience, skills, honors and awards, certifications, coursework, organizations, projects, and more.
Discover career paths
Looking through others’ profiles can help you understand potential career paths and required skills and qualifications within your industry of interest. Seeing what current professionals have done helps plan your own route.
Get noticed by recruiters
Many recruiters search LinkedIn for potential candidates, even for entry-level roles. Having an eye-catching, informative profile makes it possible for them to find and contact you about opportunities.
Build your brand
Your LinkedIn presence allows you to build your personal brand from the ground up. You control how you are portrayed professionally online before employers get a chance to meet you.
Tips for an effective student LinkedIn profile
Follow these tips to create a compelling, professional LinkedIn profile as a student:
Craft an informative profile summary
Your summary statement atop your profile is valuable real estate. Use it to explain who you are, what you’re studying, your aspirations and career interests, and key skills and traits you possess.
Showcase course projects
Highlight relevant coursework and class projects under your education section, especially those that demonstrate applicable skills for your target field.
List transferable skills
Include skills like communication, team leadership, problem-solving, time management, and other abilities gained through academic, extracurricular, or volunteer experiences.
Get recommendations
Ask managers, professors, or collaborators to write you LinkedIn recommendations highlighting the skills and qualities they can attest to. These serve as credibility boosters.
Join relevant groups
Join LinkedIn groups centered on your major, industry, interests, university, or locale. This expands your connections and keeps you engaged with relevant topics.
Follow companies
Follow companies you want to work for to stay on their radar and get notified about new job postings. See what their employees post to gain insider views.
Check for profile completeness
Aim for an All-Star profile by completing all sections, as this leads to more profile views according to LinkedIn. The more robust your profile, the better.
Customize your LinkedIn URL
Claim a unique LinkedIn URL with your name to make it easier for people to find and share your profile. This also boosts your personal brand.
Use a professional photo
Use a quality headshot of yourself in business attire rather than casual snapshots. This immediately makes you look more professional.
When to create a LinkedIn profile
It’s never too early to create your LinkedIn profile. Here are some ideal times to get started:
- Beginning of college – Profile shows activities and coursework from the outset.
- Searching for internships – Increases networking opportunities.
- Starting senior year – Prepares for job search season.
- After graduation – Establishes your professional brand and presence.
The sooner you create your profile, the sooner you can start building up your connections, skills, recommendations, and other assets.
How to optimize your student LinkedIn profile
To maximize the impact of your student LinkedIn profile, optimize it by doing the following:
| Profile Section | Optimization Tips |
|---|---|
| Photo | – Professional headshot in business attire |
| Headline | – Include degree, university, expected graduation date |
| Summary | – Concise and engaging paragraph highlighting aspirations, skills, and traits |
| Experience | – Include internships, relevant course projects, extracurriculars |
| Education | – List relevant courses, activities, honors |
| Skills | – Keyword skills that are sought after in your industry |
| Recommendations | – Acquire recommendations from managers and professors |
Keeping each profile section robust with detailed, keyword-rich information will take your LinkedIn presence to the next level.
Common LinkedIn mistakes to avoid
While creating your student LinkedIn profile, be sure to avoid these common mistakes:
- Inactive account – Don’t create a profile and abandon it. Check for notifications and update regularly.
- Sparse profile – Include ample details on education, experience, skills, accomplishments, etc.
- Unprofessional content – Do not include informal language, slang, or inappropriate posts.
- Poor profile photo – Use a quality headshot, not casual, unprofessional photos.
- Weak headline – Craft a headline that sells your qualifications and goals.
- Too many connections – Prioritize making genuine connections, not just adding contacts.
- Spam messaging – Do not randomly message people sales pitches or generic invites.
- Exaggerations – Be truthful about your qualifications, skills, and experience.
Avoiding these missteps will ensure your profile is appealing, genuine, and effective.
Should I get a premium LinkedIn account?
LinkedIn offers several tiers of paid premium accounts with expanded features for students, professionals, and job seekers. Premium features include:
- Seeing who viewed your profile
- Contacting people outside your network
- Seeing full profiles of your connections
- Accessing advanced profile filters
- Removing LinkedIn ads
The paid tiers range from around $30 to $80 per month. While the extra features are nice, they are not necessary especially as a student user. The free account provides plenty to get started. As your career progresses, a premium account may be worth the investment.
Conclusion
Creating a LinkedIn profile provides many advantages for students looking to build their professional brand and jumpstart their careers. The platform allows you to network, search for opportunities, showcase your skills, get noticed by recruiters, and more.
With a complete and optimized profile, students can use LinkedIn to establish their professional online persona and get a head start on career advancement before graduation. Just avoid common profile mistakes like inactivity and exaggerations. While paid subscriptions provide some upgraded features, a free account works fine for most student needs.
Investing the time into a solid LinkedIn presence now will pay dividends for years to come. Get started shaping your personal brand today.