The Low-Down on LinkedIn

According to Forbes, 97.3% of employers who use social media as a recruitment tool turn to LinkedIn. Here are some tips and tricks to get you started building an effective profile on LinkedIn:

Profile:

• Have a good quality profile picture of just you.
• Make sure it is 100% filled out.
• Add keywords that represent you in your position.
• Be specific  i.e. if you are a student, state your school and program with the use of keywords to make it effective.
• Include all of your education, awards, and even extra-curricular activities.
• Stay up to date with your profile, and update your responsibilities often.

Summary:

• Never leave your summary blank!
• Make sure your summary is clear and concise.
• Share goals, accomplishments, and qualities – and make sure to use keywords that will help you stand out.

Connections:

• Focus on expanding your network on LinkedIn by adding professional connections.
• Always personalize your connection requests – avoid using the default LinkedIn invitation text.
• Join groups on LinkedIn that are specific to your field of interest.

Recommendations:

• Try to get a variety of recommendations from all of the positions you've held.
• Ask for recommendations for part employers, professors, or colleagues.
• Just like you would for a reference, ask for a recommendation politely and professionally - don't assume you deserve one.