LinkedIn just launched a new initiative aimed at students, a group sometimes slow to join the growing professional network. Many students believe “LinkedIn isn’t ‘for’ them,” since they may not already have much professional experience and probably do not have large professional networks. Now, LinkedIn offers sections to allow college students to showcase their accomplishments, as reported on LinkedIn’s blog:
- Projects: It’s absolutely useful to highlight projects as examples of “experience” on your resume, but you can also include them in a special section on LinkedIn. Pay special attention to projects focusing on work you’d like to continue to do.
- Honors & Awards: A “forever” section — not just for college students, but you may want to point out certain awards you haven’t listed elsewhere. For example, LinkedIn asks, “Did you make the Dean’s List or earn a merit-based scholarship? Add it to your profile. While much of your profile is a subjective characterization of your abilities, Honors & Awards provide objective validation for your accomplishments.”
- Organizations: Many employers appreciate your work with organizations, demonstrating your leadership and other important skills. Keep an eye on describing how YOU made a difference at the organization to help your profile stand out.
- Test Scores: If you have excellent scores you want to share, this is the place! You may include standardized tests or your GPA here.
- Courses: Have you taken a lot of relevant courses, helping you prepare for your next career move? Include select courses on your profile to help demonstrate your background and experience.
How-to: Add new student sections to your profile.
Go to your LinkedIn profile page in edit mode, and click the blue “Add sections” bar under your profile summary.
For details about adding your information, visit LinkedIn’s blog...They remind readers, “Quick Tip: Â You can rearrange the sections of the profile to highlight your strongest sections. Â Simply click on the section header, and drag and drop it to the best location on the page.”
For a free sample chapter from my book, Social Networking for Career Success (all about LinkedIn), click HERE and scroll to the bottom of the page.