Students Benefit from Being Engaged On LinkedIn
Students seeking a job out of college is competitive and challenging as most students would tell you. Recruiters will tell you that to beat that competitive edge you need to highlight your accomplishments and other attributes on the LinkedIn platform to stand out, show up and network.
The US Bureau of labor statistics says 70% of jobs are gained through networking and yet many students don’t know how and from my own personal experience (kid in college) said that was a skill never taught in college and they certainly aren’t being taught how to use LinkedIn.
Recruiters Trun to LinkedIn First to Find Graduating Students
LinkedIn is by far the #1 social tool used by recruiters and according to the 2013 Jobvite survey, 94% of recruiters are using LinkedIn. So students who have or are working on their job resumes should create a LinkedIn profile earlier in their school career than later. Read my post for tips on how to leverage LinkedIn after college to boost you job search efforts.
LinkedIn has a blog dedicated to students and what they care about: linkedin.com/topic/linkedin-for-students. Ready for an internship, LinkedIn offers resources here: students.linkedin.com
It’s Not Just What You Know, It’s Who You Know On LinkedIn
According to LinkedIn, students should “use LinkedIn to build a network so it’s there when you need it.”
“Think broadly about who to connect with. It’s not just about your friends or colleagues – it’s also about people who’ve walked in your shoes: Family, friends of your parents, teachers, mentors, and managers. They want to help. They can suggest schools, tell you about their career paths, or connect you to a great internship.”
LinkedIn offers resources for recent grads or those seeking jobs while finishing school: www.linkedin.com/studentjobs
Why Students Should Pay Attention To LinkedIn – to utilizing resources and tools
As most school counselors would advise, there are many resources at your disposal and LinkedIn is a tool to consider when starting your professional career. All major companies have pages on LinkedIn with career opportunities and employees to network with, so starting early in establishing a professional presence online is a worthwhile idea.
