LinkedIn, Learning and Connecting Posted on October 12th, 2009 by

Remember how I mentioned LinkedIn earlier?  Here are some more details…

First of all, did you know that currently a full 90% of new graduates will find their first jobs through friends, relatives, and professional acquaintances??  This makes LinkedIn truly IMPORTANT!

LinkedIn is home to over 48 million professionals from around the globe, representing well over 150 different industries – As a Gustavus student, you should use it to build a professional online presence and learn lifelong networking skills.  It’s the perfect venue to connect with alumni and others in a meaningful, productive way.  LinkedIn also allows you to research companies and career paths, and to find opportunities with organizations that don’t recruit on campus!

Make the Most Out of Your Membership:

  • Fill out your profile to 100% completion (People who do this get 80% more views than those who don’t)
  • Join the Gustavus Alumni Group, and groups in your chosen industry
  • Claim your custom URL
  • Request recommendations
  • Make sure to keep your profile up-to-date
Especially Important for Student Profiles:
  • Use a professional photo of you and you alone
  • Fill in the “headline” with your area of study, career ambitions, or personal quaities
    • Ex, “Motivated Student Leader Seeking Journalism Career”
  • Have a keyword-rich summary that includes the type of position you are seeking
  • Include all volunteer activities, internships, and extracurriculars
  • Get recommendations from professors, advisors, and internship supervisors or coworkers
You DO Know People on LinkedIn!  Connect With:
  • Gustie Alumni
  • Your parents and relatives
  • Friends (both peers and those a couple years older)
  • Internship managers and colleagues
  • Former bosses
  • Connections from activities and volunteering
  • Professional association members
LinkedIn Etiquette:
  • Always use proper grammar and spelling
  • Always customize LinkedIn emails to explain who you are and why you’d like to connect.
    • Ex, “I am a junior at Gustavus Adolphus College.  In reading your LinkedIn profile, I discovered that you graduated recently from GAC and that you’ve had a number of international assignments.  Your career path looks really exciting.  Could we set up a time to talk about what it takes to be successful outside the U.S. and what I should be doing in school to prepare for working abroad?  I would be grateful for any advice you would be willing to provide.  Thank you for considering my request.”
  • Respond to all connection requests and messages within five days
  • Help others!
Beyond Connections – Researching Your Field:

First click on the “Companies” tab along the top.  Then start researching!

  • For example, suppose you were interested in digital marketing but have no clue what companies are actually in this industry.  You can leverage LinkedIn’s massive global database to identify firms working in digital marketing!
  • The company page will allow a student interested in digital marketing to immediately know what the company does, where the company is located, and provides a list of alums and connections currently working in the company.
  • You will also be able to see what a typical career path is for professionals working at that company – what jobs they had previously and what job they took after leaving the company.
  • You can view job titles and descriptions of those working at the company to shed light on what roles you would like to pursue.
  • Finally, you can look at a current employee’s resume to discover how you could grow and supplement your own!
 

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