The New LinkedIn for College Students and Job Search Tips

By Neal Schaffer

I was recently interviewed by Her Campus, the premier source of information for female students and “a collegiette’s guide to life,” about the topic of LinkedIn for the college student and advice for those who are getting ready to graduate and need help with their job search.  In the past I had written a post on LinkedIn for the College Student with the message that you can never be too early to start your networking.  I also have written on LinkedIn profile tips for college students.  My interviewer, Betty Jin, took my advice to the next step by writing what I believe to be the best post out there on advice for college students and their job search.  Why?  Because she herself is a college student at Dartmouth and thus was able to write it with a voice and from a perspective that would resonate with other college students or recent graduates trying to figure out how to use a social networking site that is branded for working professionals.

Without further adieu, here is the link to this article: Everything You Need to Know About How to Use LinkedIn.  As the title indicates, the article is comprehensive enough that anyone looking for job search tips or even profile advice will get something out of reading this.

Here’s a quick preview on what is covered in the 4-page article:

• What exactly is LinkedIn?
• I thought LinkedIn was solely for the over-30 crowd?
• So who actually uses LinkedIn?
• How do I get started?
• How should I display my name on my profile?
• What should I use for my profile headline?
• What do I put for my location if I’m not sure where I’m going to live?
• What do I put for my industry if I’ve never worked?
• What type of photo should I use?
• What do I put under “Experience”?
• What websites should I list?
• What do I put in my summary?
• Who should I connect with?
• Should I ask for recommendations?

It should also be noted that, for college students who are looking for a job, you can continue building your professional experience while pursuing one of many great online degrees without sacrificing too much of your time.

Any profile tips or job search advice for college students that we missed?  Please share your experience with us!

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