As we all know college is stressful and the thought of finding a job after college multiplies that by 100. Everyone says networking and connections are crucial to getting out there and finding employment. Students need get their foot in the door to get the job they want, but for some, building those connections can be overwhelming and some just don’t know where to start.

 

LinkedIn is an app that helps students find a starting place. Everyone has a profile which includes their photo, background information about their previous work experience, education and service history along with more. The app allows you to follow businesses and recommends people for you to follow who are in your field of work, which is a good way to get introduced to new companies and positions.

 

It helps for college students to include their profile picture also “...experience and what you’re doing academically is really important,” said Career Advisor Pablo Reyes. Reyes also said having a good resume to mirror on your account is also important. “You can add accomplishments, which are huge for your age group. Tell me the type of courses you’re taking, not the course number though, it adds no value,” Reyes stated.

 

LinkedIn allows students to be exposed to thousands of companies at once and an opportunity to communicate with them. “You need to be looking up companies and reaching out to recruiters, it’s a great way to make the official hello,” Reyes said. “But once you get a business card, you need to utilize that instead.”

 

In order to make your account stronger, Reyes recommends sharing your skills when the app asks you questions about them to make your profile more detailed. He also suggests following organizations and turn on the option to get alerts about job postings.

 

LinkedIn is designed to help people get in contact with each other in order to pursue job interests and companies. Once you build a solid professional profile, it will be more tempting for employers to take interest in you.