Having a strong and professional social media presence is critical when entering the job market. LinkedIn is a key platform to make sure you are doing just that. One of the most important things to remember about LinkedIn is to make sure it represents you. It is not uncommon for recruiters to screen candidates on LinkedIn before meeting them. Imagine getting asked a question about something on your LinkedIn that you don’t even remember posting. How embarrassing! That is why it is important that your profile stays relevant and updated to represent your current pursuits. 

Selecting your profile picture

A picture is worth a thousand words. This is important to remember when selecting the image you are using for your profile picture and header. For your profile picture, you will want to use a professional individual picture that is high quality. Avoid pictures that have others cropped out, may be blurry, or where you are not dressed in business professional or business casual attire. I recommend changing your header from the default setting to an image that stands out more, but is not overwhelming to your profile. 

Adding experiences

When listing your experiences on LinkedIn there are few components: title of position, company, timeline, location, and description. All these details are important because it gives the viewer a full picture of your commitment and involvement in this activity. The description should vary from what you would put on your resume. It is advised to use clear and concise language that can be applied to the job type you are looking for. I suggest using sentences rather than bullets for this section. At times it can be useful to include a description of the organization, especially if it is not a national organization. 

Networking

Building a network on LinkedIn is key to the benefit of this platform. When building a network it can be tempting to add anyone who sends a connect request to you, but avoid the urge to accept it. I have noticed that sometimes I receive requests with many mutual contacts, but I know I have never met this person. Remember that just because you see someone has mutual friends it does not mean you should accept; your connections could have mindlessly accepted this request as well. As you develop in your career you will want to have meaningful connections that could be used for networking, so it is important to connect with those who you would feel comfortable reaching out to. 

Staying connected

Sharing posts and news, liking, commenting, and creating your own posts are great ways to stay engaged with LinkedIn. It shows viewers that you are interested in up-to-date news and keeps you in tune with what your colleagues and friends are up to in their professional lives. I enjoy following businessmen, businesswomen, and companies I admire to continue my education outside the classroom. 

LinkedIn has endless possibilities on how to best stay in touch as well as promote yourself. Utilize it because there are countless benefits to explore!