5 Tips to Build (and Update) Your Student LinkedIn Profile

In the next 3-4 weeks, Undergrad Success will be giving three separate workshops on LinkedIn. To preempt this, I wanted to get you included as well, as our team knows how important this platform is and it’s time we communicate exactly why. Before we can communicate the why, we must communicate the how. So, instead of continually seeing me tweet and rant on Facebook about insufficient student profiles, you’ll be have the information to start crafting your own profile. (And if that isn’t good enough, we’ll build it for you.)

Here are 5 tips to start building and updating a great student profile on LinkedIn.

1. Pick an appropriate profile photo

Let’s be clear. LinkedIn is not your Facebook. It’s worth saying again. LinkedIn…is NOT your Facebook. Understand? Good. So, when you’re selecting your picture—and we suggest you actually upload a photo—take the professional route. This doesn’t mean you need to go hire a professional in your community (unless you want to). It simply means you need to find a friend or family member with a digital camera to take a photo of you in front of a white wall. Yes, it’s really that easy. Your photo serves as the first opportunity for people to see you as a real person. Make it count.

2. Brand yourself with a personal headline

What do you do? Who do you do it for? Are you a student? PR Intern? Tell me. Well, tell them…the LinkedIn community. Think of this as your own personal branding slogan. This short headline will provide proper insight into who you are, what you do, and whom you do it for. Craft something unique to you but that is also relevant to your industry.

3. Craft a professional summary

This summary is an extension of your personal headline. Expand on the information you want your contacts, new and old, and those who find you via search to know about you. After all, that’s what LinkedIn is for. Be concise and confident in your goals and capability. Communicate the value you bring to your market, customers, and clients. The fact that you’re a student changes nothing.

4. Share your work experiences and/or school projects

Why should I hire you? Why should I recommend you to a friend? Well, this is your opportunity to show me—aka the LinkedIn community—just why you’re a valuable asset. Are you a writer? Include examples of your writing. Perhaps you’re a designer and have an online portfolio. Whatever your field of study, be linkable to your work. Include URLs and direct people through these links to your personal website, blog, or Twitter-feed (assuming you’re keeping things appropriate).

5. Be keyword specific in your profile

In your professional summary, be sure to include any keywords that are relevant to your  capabilites and experiences. These are used in much the same way websites use keywords for SEO. The more searchable keywords you  have in your summary, the higher you’ll appear in search results. Find people who currently hold similar positions in your desired field and see what common keywords/phrases they’re using.

Next week, we’ll cover the last 5 tips to building your LinkedIn profile as a student. Stay tuned and get going. And hey, have we connected? No? Ain’t no time like the present 😉

Follow me on Twitter for updates and general life awesomeness. Cheers ‘til next Thursday.

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UPDATE: Find Part 2 here.