How to Step Up Your LinkedIn Game

Posted on Tuesday, January 17th, 2017

No, it’s not “Facebook for old people”—LinkedIn is becoming more and more of a cornerstone to any successful job hunt. Today, 93 per cent of recruiters check out potential hires on LinkedIn, so if you’re not there you’re missing an awesome opportunity. Your LinkedIn profile can be the difference between being hired and being forgotten.

We’ve already given you 4 quick steps to make a professional LinkedIn profile. Here’s how to take it up a notch.

 

Add Your Coursework and Extracurricular Activities

If you’re new to the working world, you may not have a lot of relevant work experience. That’s okay! LinkedIn supports coursework and extracurricular activities, and recruiters love to see that you do things outside of work and school—in fact, 41 per cent of recruiters say that they consider volunteer experience to be as important as work experience.

And there’s more. Under the education tab, you can add media to show off all the good things you’ve done in school. Did you design a presentation that you’re proud of? Did you write a fantastic report? Here’s the place to post it. Show recruiters the actual work you can do. It’s an awesome way to self-promote, and it makes your LinkedIn profile look far more complete.

Your volunteer experiences, sports teams, and hobbies can all find a home on LinkedIn. These make for a well-rounded profile that demonstrates to employers all your various talents and skills.

Join Groups

LinkedIn groups are a place where people with similar interests or who are in the same industry congregate. Groups are an opportunity for you to find professionals and get exposed to the kinds of conversations that are happening in your field. Remember, LinkedIn isn’t Facebook for old people; instead, it’s Facebook for professional people, and this is your chance to listen in on their conversations.

By joining LinkedIn groups, you’ll start identifying experts in your field and people you may want to connect with. Which brings us to…

Connect with Industry Professionals

The real magic of LinkedIn is the ability it gives you to connect with leading industry professionals. Never before has it been so easy to start a conversation with someone already experienced in your field. This isn’t just great for job hunting: it’s also a solid way to earn a mentor.

Start with people that you know—your peers, colleagues, and teachers can be a great way to begin growing your network. With LinkedIn, remember to have quality over quantity. You don’t want to build a network of strangers, because you won’t get the meaningful interactions and connections that will benefit you in the long run.

Once you’ve started to establish a strong network, you can begin reaching out to professionals in your field. Do some research and identify professionals that you would like to have a conversation with. Start connecting with them, but be smart. Personalize your requests to connect. Explain why you’re reaching out to them—but do not say that you’re reaching out to get a job. LinkedIn provides an opportunity for you to learn and engage, and that should be your primary motivation.

 

Get Endorsements and Recommendations

One of the most helpful aspects of LinkedIn for students or new graduates is the ability to get endorsements and recommendations from people you’ve worked with. An endorsement is like a thumbs-up that your connections can add on specific skills you have listed. It’s a way for them to say that they’ve seen your skills in action and that they think you’re great at it. It’s a quick way for your peers and colleagues to support the skills you have.

LinkedIn also has a recommendations function. These are letters from employers or supervisors that speak to your abilities—think of them as a public reference letter. Having recommendations on your profile looks awesome to potential employers. They help establish you as a trustworthy and hardworking person, especially if your recommendations come from people that have respect in your industry.

So how do you go about getting recommendations?

Reach out to people that you have an excellent working relationship with. Teachers or bosses are an great place to start. LinkedIn has a built-in function for asking for recommendations, but depending on the situation it may be better to email them separately. Lots of people don’t check LinkedIn all the time, and sending a personal email shows that you’re serious.

Whichever way you choose to reach out, make sure you personalize your message. Explain why you’re asking this person in particular, include a few skills you demonstrated or some of the work you did for them, and remember to be very polite. Remind them of a specific project or job you did, and the success you had in your position. And of course, when they send you a completed recommendation, be sure to thank them sincerely.

 

Keep it updated!

The value of LinkedIn is in participation, so get on there and participate! Engage with the articles being shared, share some of your own, and stay active. That way, when one of your connections hears of a job opening, your awesome LinkedIn presence will be the first thing they think of.

In the Algonquin College Cooperative Education Department, we’re ready to help you get a great co-op position. If you would like to learn more about the co-op program, please visit our website at https://www.algonquincollege.com/coop/, connect with us at coop@algonquincollege.com or call us at 613-727-4723 Ext.7623.


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