Career Services
Connect on LinkedIn
Interviewing Professionals
How to use it to your advantage
Perhaps you've heard of this professional networking site and now you're wondering just how it works. LinkedIn can be likened to a professional Facebook - it allows you to create a profile that highlights your professional experiences, interests, and accomplishments with the intent of attracting employers' attention. LinkedIn enables you to stay connected with your colleagues - past or present - while providing you with the professional opportunities and insights you seek.
Unlike other networking sites, the primarily focus of LinkedIn is to present you as a professional. Following are ways you might utilize LinkedIn.
Four Ways to Utilize LinkedIn
1. Research: It's true that we can learn the most from others. LinkedIn allows you to highlight your talents, but you can also research companies that interest you to discover the talents they look for in candidates. Take the time to find employees who work for organizations you admire. Before an interview, research your company on LinkedIn through "Advanced Search" and "Company Pages" to identify their hiring practices and competitors.
2. Network to learn about career paths and job titles: Don't add people randomly; find individuals of whom you're closely connected and build your contact list from there. Network with these individuals to learn about their careers and past work experience. Joining different organizations and associations that appeal to you is another great way to meet new people and continue networking.
3. Network to learn about hidden/unadvertised jobs: It's true that many jobs are never even advertised. Use your contact list to learn about possible openings in the company that he/she works for. You may be surprised by what you learn.
4. Network to learn about job/internship postings: Again, networking is a great opportunity to learn about opportunities you may not have otherwise known about. Ask, ask, ask......when a job is posted you can be the first one in the applicant pool.
Check out the links below for more information:
How to Build a Professional Student LinkedIn Profile
How to Network Professionally Online
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