Many years ago I participated in a summer program in NYC where teens from across the country were placed at awesome internships in various industries. In order to help us make the most of our valuable internship experiences, the program arranged for a panel of professionals to give us advice on what to do and what not to do on the job. One of the women on the panel emphasized the importance of creating a Linked In account, which she considered grown-up’s equivalent to Facebook. I decided that since I hadn’t had much work experience at the time (this was my first time interning) that creating a Linked In profile was a bit ambitious, and left the idea alone for a while (a few years). However, recently I met with the Director of Hiatt Career Center, Andrea Dine, about how I was going to find an internship for this upcoming summer (Yes, I realize it’s only January but believe it or not many summer internship applications are already available online and have deadlines quickly approaching). Andrea recommended checking Linked In. After asking Andrea questions about the site, I decided that it was finally time to take the plunge and join. Below is Andrea’s Advice on joining Linked in.
HC: Why is it important for college students to create Linked In profiles?
AD: Your LinkedIn profile is your online “face” to the professional world. The good news is the profile is 100% in your control. Your profile should detail the knowledge and skills you have developed that relate to your networking interests. The profile is similar to your resume in that it should be professional and include information that is relevant to your networking, internship or job search. It is different from your resume in that it does not have a length limitation, and may include sections and features not traditionally used on a resume. The professional details you share in your profile will help to build relationships within your network, and make a professional impression on prospective employers.
HC: How can Linked In help college students get summer internships and jobs?
AD: The multi-faceted answer to this question is in: Top 10 Online Job Hunting Tips: Here’s how LinkedIn can help you find and attract the best opportunities.
http://university.linkedin.com/sites/university.linkedin.com/files/Top%2010%20Online%20Job%20Hunting%20Tips.pdf
HC: Is it weird to reach out to people on Linked In (who you haven’t spoken to in a while) and ask them to help you get a summer internship?/ What would you say to them in a message?
AD: No, just own that you are getting back in touch.
Sample message:
Dear Ms. Smith,
I hope that all is well at Widget Organization. Since I interned with you I have continued to pursue my interest in marketing by taking a leadership position in the Marketing Club and managing social media for the Cheese Club. I am currently considering pursuing a marketing internship with the federal government. As I begin to strategize about my search, would you be willing to speak with me about your past work with the Bureau of Labor and Statistics? I would also appreciate any tips you have about my cover letter and resume. Thank you for considering my request, and please give my regards to Carol and Kevin.
Thank you,
Your First and Last Name
Contact info (phone, email) if you wish to provide this information
HC: If there are Brandeis alumni who are working in fields you would like to intern in is it appropriate to message them and ask for an informational interview/summer internship?
AD: First things first- one never asks for an internship or a job; it is considered very rude. However you can certainly reach out to an alum for an informational interview/networking conversation.
A sample message would be something like:
Dear Mr. Smith,
I am a junior at Brandeis and found your profile in Hiatt’s LinkedIn group. I am intrigued by your career in graphic design and hope to pursue a similar path with my Studio Art degree. Would you be willing to connect with me and possibly offer some advice by email or phone? I would greatly appreciate your time.
Thank you,
Your First and Last Name
Contact info (phone, email) if you wish to provide this information
HC: What are some dos and don’ts when creating a Linked In profile?
AD: You’ll be sorry you asked. :) Here’s the whole enchilada of tips for each section of the profile:
In its most basic form, a profile often includes a headline, photo (strongly recommended), contact method, and contact interests. It should not include contact information you are not comfortable having your contacts see, or untruthful or misleading information. Key sections available on LinkedIn profiles are explored below:
Professional Headline – Underneath your name will be a short headline. These words will define you on LinkedIn. This can be a short job title or a brief summary of your professional identity. Hiatt recommends a short phrase that highlights your career objectives and/or your skills, interests and experiences. Examples:
- Designer, writer, photographer
- Economics student at Brandeis University
- Junior in English seeking a summer internship
- Recent grad with experience in marketing, web design, and event planning
Photo – Though not required, a profile photo makes your profile more visually compelling and can remind someone that they’ve already met you. Also, it can be helpful for contacts to remember who you are, particularly if others share your name. Should you choose to include a photo, remember that it will be the first image alumni and other network contacts have of you. The photo needs to be representative of how you would look as a professional; Hiatt recommends a headshot of you alone in which you are wearing professional dress.
Summary – The summary should outline key skills or competencies that are relevant to career fields that interest you. This might include professional interests, personal strengths and accomplishments, collegiate activities, community service, leadership, or experiences. Example:
Strong background in writing and editing; including experience as an editor of the literary magazine, a reporter for The Justice (campus newspaper), and an intern for the Boston Globe newspaper. Capable writer and producer; effective at developing content for print, audio, video and social media. Demonstrated leader and cooperator; active in student government and Waltham Group with an interest in a career in non-profit administration, advertising and public relations.
Specialties – This section allows you to include key words so that potential contacts will be able to see your abilities. These can be skills, languages, or technologies. The following example is from the LinkedIn Grad Guide.
Proficient in Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, LexisNexis, iNews, digital photography, Internet, and Web 2.0 marketing and communication, blogging, event planning, and Facebook.
Education – Include Brandeis, the degree you are seeking or have earned, and major(s), and minor(s). Highlight academic honors, relevant courses and academic projects. Be sure to include activities and information that will help you connect to others that had similar campus involvements and interests.
Experience – In this section it is appropriate to include employment, internships, volunteer experiences, and involvement with clubs or activities. regardless of whether they were paid positions. LinkedIn provides the following headings to help you categorize your experiences. The following sections and applications are worth considering:
- Organizations
- Volunteer Experience & Causes
- Projects
- Certifications
- Courses
- Honors and Awards
- Languages
- Creative Portfolio Display
It is possible to upload your resume into LinkedIn to complete the experience section. Please remember to review your profile, post uploading, for formatting and accuracy. If you choose to upload your resume as a .pdf, consider removing your contact information from the resume, if you wish only to be contacted via LinkedIn.
Custom URL – You may wish to create a custom URL for your LinkedIn page to make the link clearer and more memorable. If you choose to do so, your custom LinkedIn URL must contain at least 5 and no more than 30 characters. These characters can be letters or numbers but cannot include spaces, symbols, or special characters. You may set your custom URL in your Profile in the Public Profile settings.
Recommendations vs. Endorsements – On LinkedIn, you can ask people for a recommendation or an endorsement. A recommendation is a short statement written by someone who knows your work, like a faculty member, supervisor or colleague that appears on your profile in conjunction with a position or role. An endorsement is an affirmation of one of the skills you’ve listed on your profile by a member of your network. You may add up to 50 skills on your profile that may be endorsed by members of your network; they will be shown in order of the most endorsed skills first. If you would like to highlight a skill or attribute, you may ask a close contact to recommend or endorse you on your profile.
Both recommendations and endorsements can help you, as they contribute to a positive impression of your skills and attributes. To date, recommendations are more highly valued than endorsements; the difference in weight is similar to a substantive positive comment versus a “like” on Facebook.
Profile Settings – In addition to creating a custom URL, you may also set the information which is publicly available to non-members/contacts in your profile settings. Consider carefully what to make public. On one hand, you want helpful contacts to be able to find and reach you, on the other you do not want to compromise your privacy. Consider providing enough information for alumni and employers to see, for example, your name, headline, summary, organizations’ names (current and past positions) and “interested in.”
Well there you have it ladies, an insiders guide on how to make and utilize your LinkedIn profile… Well, what are you waiting for? Get LinkedIn now!