LinkedIn is a great site to connect with professional peers. I use it to stay in touch with past employers and coworkers. It's also a great site to follow businesses and see what they are doing. Many employers use it to look up potential employees to get a feel for them before they get interviewed.
1. Easiest step, add a profile picture.
Personal Photo
Having a profile picture will help people know who you are. If your name is a basic "John Smith" name, having a profile picture will make sure people are connecting with the right person. Many people get professional photos taken but if you're a broke college student like me, a simple head shot works too. Try to stay away from mirror pictures and selfies.
2. Create a headline.
http://www.andysowards.com/blog/2017/nailing-perfect-smm-interview/
A headline is a one sentence or phrase that describes your professional life. For example, Management Information Systems student attending Shippensburg University interning at BAE Systems. If you are looking for internships, you can put "actively seeking a finance internship" or "looking for full time employment after graduation".
3. Market yourself.
https://digitalmarketingdawgs.com/2018/10/16/3-simple-ways-to-market-yourself-on-social-media/
This is the time to make yourself seem like the perfect potential employee. Add past experiences, volunteer activities, and even club / extracurricular activities you did in school. You can also get endorsements from past employers or people you've worked with. For example, getting endorsed in a skill such as Microsoft Excel, will show employers that you have actually applied those skills well. Keep LinkedIn professional. Don't post party or vacation pictures, save that for Instagram.
4. Stay active on your page.
https://blogpros.com/blog/2017/02/syndicate-posts-linkedin-traffic
Share, post, comment, and like! Just like any other social media, check it and post on it. Read about companies your interested in or companies you have worked at. I love sharing posts from my internship because it helps me stay in the know with the company even when I'm not there. Staying active shows the employer that they could reach out to you on LinkedIn and that you will respond in a timely manner. Remember, people can get job opportunities through LinkedIn.
5. Connect, connect, connect!
http://www.shawnmosqueda.com/?p=376
Connections can be people you work with, volunteer with, and go to school with. Connect with anyone you know on there. You never know when there could be an opportunity with one of your connections.
