LinkedIn is a social network for professionals. With over 750 million members, it is the largest network of its kind, both in the UK and worldwide. LinkedIn is a great tool for connecting with St Andrews alumni and potential employers.
You can set up an account for free with Facebook or email, either in a web browser or through the Android or iOS app. Since LinkedIn is an open platform, make sure to double-check your privacy settings to ensure you are happy with who can see what on your profile.
Creating an effective profile
When you sign up to LinkedIn, you will need to create a new profile. This is similar to creating a new profile for other social networks, like Facebook, but with a focus on your professional and academic life. This is what your contacts and potential employers will use to find out more about you.
A well-crafted profile can be the difference between making a new connection and not. So, it is worth spending the time to get it right:
- Choosing a picture – Your picture is one of the first things potential contacts will notice. It needs to be inviting, professional and clearly you. Use a high-quality headshot with only you in the frame. For more advice, read LinkedIn’s top ten tips for picking the right profile picture.
- A headline to grab attention – You will have the option to add a short headline to your profile. Use this to tell your contacts what you’re excited about and what you're looking for. Include keywords related to your fields of interest to make your profile searchable online.
- Writing your summary – Unlike a CV, your introduction section on LinkedIn is an opportunity to express your personality as well as to sell your skills. Aim to write a couple of short paragraphs, including your motivations, strengths and areas of professional or academic interest. Look at LinkedIn's example profile summaries, then have a go at writing your own.
- Adding your information – You will be able to list your education and experience on your profile. Remember to be honest and to include details about what you have accomplished and learned from each activity or role. Keep this section up to date and look for ways to link your profile to other achievements, such as certificates from online courses.
Once you have completed your profile, LinkedIn provides automatic feedback on how it can be improved. You should pay close attention to this and implement any relevant suggestions.
Using your LinkedIn profile
When you have finished setting your profile up, you can use it for a variety of things:
- Building your network – Reach out to family members, friends, colleagues, alumni, potential employers and people within your areas of interest.
- Joining groups – Join a professional group to stay informed about what is happening in a certain sector. You can also use the St Andrews University Alumni group to network with St Andrews graduates.
- Researching careers – Company profiles are a great way to find out more about organisations and to research career paths. Follow employers for updates and engage with the content they share.
- Searching for vacancies – Find opportunities on LinkedIn by searching for jobs, using filters such as industry, location and date. You can also save your searches and choose to get notified about new results.
- Building your brand – Engage with posts and articles that relate to your areas of interest, and even share some interesting content of your own. This will contribute to your digital footprint in a positive way.
By following these steps, you will ensure you make the most from what LinkedIn has to offer. These steps can also help you use LinkedIn to make speculative applications.
If you would like some help with your LinkedIn profile, book an appointment to see a CV adviser.