The 9 simple steps to creating a memorable graduate LinkedIn profile
/So, you are a fresh graduate, or even a university student and let me guess, you think LinkedIn doesn’t apply to you! Think again friend! LinkedIn can be the secret tool to allow a graduate to really stand out.
Currently, under 10% of LinkedIn users are current students or graduates. What does this mean? If you start using LinkedIn now you are ahead of the competition (your peers) and essentially swimming in a pool of fewer candidates compared to traditional job boards like SEEK.com or Gradconnection.
The next question you might ask, how is LinkedIn going to help me secure my dream job? The short answer is by allowing you to build a personal brand and proactively promote yourself. To give you some added background I’ll explain a few scenarios where LinkedIn could really give you an edge.
Scenario 1: Recruiters use LinkedIn on a daily basis to source candidates. If they so happen to come across your profile and see you have been active this could be the catalyst for them reaching out to you to see if you are interested in a role. It’s less work for them as they don’t need to advertise and sort through a sea of candidates. Increasingly more roles are being directly sourced instead of advertised on traditional job boards. If you are not present on LinkedIn you completely miss out on this opportunity. As they say, you’ve got to be in it to win it.
Scenario Two: Let’s say you are in a recruitment process and your profile looks very similar to another candidate, which is often the case in graduate recruitment. If you have listed your LinkedIn profile a recruiter would most likely take a look at this, If Student A has a stellar LinkedIn and Student B has nothing, this has just given you the edge you need to progress further than your peer, hence helping you standout and secure that dream job.
Ok, so on to the good bits, what do you need to do to stand out? Here are 8 tips to killin’ it in the LinkedIn game
1. Professional Photo
LinkedIn profiles with a photo are 11 times more likely to be viewed! People build trust when they can put a visual to your profile, so please ensure you include one. Your photo doesn’t need to be a costly professional photo. A trusty iphone can absolutely do the trick. Keep it simple with a plain background and remember to be yourself!
2. A Catchy Headline
Your headline appears underneath your photo. It’s a quick glimpse into who you are. You have 120 characters to make an impact with this. My recommendation is to show some personality. The biggest error people make is stating their current job and being far too generic. This is not using the word count wisely. Think about showcasing personality, skill set and stating what you aspire to be. Here’s a quick example for some inspiration ‘A Communications geek with a love for videography and graphic design. Looking to take my experience to the next level’.
3. Use the summary section
Once you have a whiz-bang headline you can then elaborate on your skill set and passion in the summary section. Whilst your full summary allows you 2,000 characters, when viewing a profile only the first 2 lines are visible, meaning you see about 250 of those words. Key in this section is to think about how your experience (volunteer or work), passion or expertise can help you differentiate yourself.
4. Experience
The experience section is essential for listing key skills gained from any internships or part-time jobs. Many students fail to understand the importance of their part-time work experience. Whilst it is not directly related to your study it begins to tell a story of the individual. For example whilst going through university you may have worked at Coles for 5 years as a Checkout Operator. Make sure you list this and think about any transferable skills this role has given you that would be relevant to the role you are applying. Keep it to simple dot format so it is easy for the viewer to scan.
5. Volunteer Experience
Linkedin has a section you can dedicate to any volunteer experience. Again the key here is focusing on the transferable skills you have gained. A great example is any work done on a university committee or association. These skills translate very well into the corporate world. Make sure you list any projects you worked on include budget responsibility, project management skills, funding gained and events managed.
6. Follow Companies
On LinkedIn, you have the ability to begin following companies you have an interest in. How can this help? It will ensure that the company updates appear in your feed. You can use this information in your interviews and cover letters to show you understand the organisation and are keeping abreast of current trends!
7. Join a group
Start exploring the Groups setting on LinkedIn. Groups are an easy way to stay up to date with industry trends and also build connections by engaging in conversation. There are many young professional groups you can request to join! You never know whom you might meet through them.
8. Ask for a recommendation
Profiles with recommendations appear higher in search results than those without. Think about asking your current workplace for a recommendation. Or perhaps you could start with a university peer or tutor?
9. Add skills
Adding technical and soft skills can enhance the amount of times your LinkedIn profile is viewed. Think about adding technical skills such as programs or languages you are competent in. Soft skills can include communication or leadership.
There you have it my top 9 simple steps to creating an All Star LinkedIn profile. An All Star profile will allow you to be noticed and truly stand out amongst the competition! If you need any additional help check out my free Beginners Guide to LinkedIn here.
If you haven’t already remember to sign up for my free masterclass ‘How to nail a graduate assessment centre’.
Feel free to connect with me over at LinkedIn here.
