Career Checklist for Students: How to Showcase Your New Skills & Experience
Editor's Note: This is the second in a three-part "Career Checklist for Students" series by Christina Allen, Director of Product Management for Higher Education, to help students make the most of LinkedIn as they go back to school this Fall.
What did you do over the summer? Whatever it was, you most likely had experiences that are valuable for your future: you met smart people, learned new skills, and contributed to interesting projects. The best time to capture these experiences is while they are fresh in your memory.
A resume on your hard drive doesn’t really do any work for you. By creating and maintaining a LinkedIn profile, opportunities start to find you.
- Update your profile: Top companies worldwide search LinkedIn to find the best candidates for jobs and internships. A complete profile gives you a much better chance of showing up at the top of search results - and updating your profile lets your network know how your skills are growing.
- Add profile sections and skills: Beyond listing your jobs and education, LinkedIn has special profile sections to round out your experience. Did you take some courses or volunteer? Were you an author on a publication or did you work on a special project? What skills did you gain? Add these accomplishments to your profile.
Your education and internships are the building blocks of your career. At each milestone, LinkedIn can help you enhance your professional identity so that opportunities start to find you.