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5 Don’ts of LinkedIn

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Katherine Richmond
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Katie Meikle
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Boise State chapter.

With the summer job-hunt process already in full swing, it is as important as ever to maintain a professional image online. Watch out for these common mistakes on your LinkedIn profile: 

1. Uploading a poorly-cropped or blurry profile photo.

Quite often people upload profile photos that are not correctly sized for LinkedIn. This often results in the “half-head” phenomenon– which is not flattering and seems very unprofessional. Don’t be the person without a forehead in your profile photo! Also, blurry photos are just lazy. Take the time to get a nice professional picture taken for your account. The drunk bull-riding picture of you at Roddy’s and that hot selfie you use for your Tinder account are both a no-go.  

2. Not Including a Personal Message. Every invitation you send on LinkedIn should include a personal message. It makes your invitation more personable and genuine. Be kind! Employers like kind and friendly people, always. 

3. Not being selective about the connections you accept. Just because someone is your best party friend DOES NOT make them an acceptable LinkedIn friend. Being selective when accepting friends on LinkedIn is important because the connections you make reflect on you. Be particular and keep in mind that LinkedIn is not the same as Facebook. Lots of friend does not necessarily make you popular. 

4. Not completing your profile. Nothing screams LAZY more than an incomplete profile. Take the time to finish it to ensure it looks 100% professional. DO IT! Trust me. 

5. Not having a Linked In profile. Bottom line, if you don’t have a Linked In Profile by now it’s definitely time… most employers expect you to have one just so they can have easy access to an online resume. If they search you on LinkedIn and no one comes up, you’re already a step behind! 

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Boise State Student. Communications and Public Relations major with a minor in History. Member of Boise State PRSSA and intern for Treefort Music Festival. Writer for Her Campus and part time preschool teacher assistant.
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Katie Meikle

Boise State

Katie Meikle, also known as Meeks, Meikle or Pumpkin, is a junior and transfer student from Tufts University in Boston, currently studying health sciences at Boise State. Although a Boise native, Katie spent her entire high school career overseas, split between Japan and Taiwan. Katie's writing interests include fashion, healthy eating, mixology, and campus cuties... of course! She loves the great outdoors, traveling, her two dogs, Lexi and Hobbs, days at the beach, walks on sunny days, and her mom's cooking. Favorite quote: don't be a drag, just be a queen.