How To Make A LinkedIn Profile | Tips For Students & Freshers In 2022
Create your profile on LinkedIn, it’s simply a win-win!
Not sure about what LinkedIn is? or How to create a LinkedIn Profile?
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with around 810 million active users.
LinkedIn is connecting working professionals around the world to help them be more productive and successful.
You get to make professional connections with people that will help you explore various domains and expand your reach.
Key Takeaways
- Learn about the importance of being on LinkedIn and having a professional online presence.
- Get tips on How to Make a LinkedIn Profile.
- How to write a LinkedIn summary (About Section)
- Learn about what an All-star status on LinkedIn is and how to get it!
Why is it important to be on LinkedIn?
For starters, 94% of recruiters use LinkedIn.
Without a proper structured LinkedIn profile, recruiters won’t notice or select you.
I understand if you’re unable to make connections with people in real life. But, LinkedIn networking is a real game-changer and will be extremely helpful for you to reach out to recruiters.
Create virtual connections with people from all around the world, after all, how many times have you lost business cards?
Your connections are equally as important as your skills and experience in your industry.
They will help you progress and switch to better job opportunities.
Ever had a job opportunity that was perfect for you but you weren’t aware of it and missed it?
Nowadays, recruiters check your online presence on LinkedIn after receiving your resumes, which is why you must have a professional online presence on LinkedIn!
Well, LinkedIn has got you covered, you can get personalized job opportunities in a company or domain of your choice based on your profile.
LinkedIn is transforming the professional domain!
Ready to get on LinkedIn? Well, hold up a little. I’ve got some tips for how to create a LinkedIn profile and How to make LinkedIn work for you!
Tips to Create a LinkedIn Profile
First things first, if you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, make one!
How do you create a LinkedIn Profile? It’s simple, visit the LinkedIn sign up page and follow the steps.
Let’s talk about that pretty smile of yours, your profile picture should ideally be a headshot.
It should make you look engaging and approachable, so smile!
Your Job title by default comes in your headline, so choose it carefully and you may even mention specifications.
Like, instead of just saying Human Resource Manager, if you say specialize in payroll management, go with Payroll Manager.
It will give the recruiters a better idea about you.
Keep your headline short and crisp, mentioning only specific skills and talents.
Also, LinkedIn is a professional platform so try not to use headlines like the coding master, simply mention software developer.
Let’s say you work only in C and C++, so simply mention “C Programmer”, that way a recruiter wanting to hire a Java developer won’t approach you.
Also Read: Mistakes to Avoid While Making a Resume
How to write a LinkedIn Summary (About Section)?
Your summary is usually the second thing people read in your profile.
Don’t take this as an opportunity to tell your life story, making it too long.
Don’t make it too short either, tell them about your skills, qualifications and achievements.
If you’re looking for a job in another domain this is where you mention that.
Then comes your experience section, which will determine whether you’re qualified for a job or not.
Add only relevant experience and mention your job role and responsibilities.
After all, the fact that you worked in McDonald’s for a year isn’t going to get you a job in the IT sector.
Ever wondered how things come up on search bars? Well, the search engine is optimised in a way that if you have the right keywords, you will appear.
But don’t overdo the keywords, usually around 2–4 is more than enough.
Mention your projects or anything interesting(job-related) about you, it will help you greatly if you’re a fresher because it’ll become easier for you to fill your LinkedIn profile.
Add your certificates, especially if they are related to the job you’re trying to apply for.
You should also fill out your skills and endorsement section.
A thoroughly filled profile is more likely to pop up on a recruiter’s search compared to a partially filled profile.
Coming back to the skills section, try not to bombard it with only soft skills like a hard worker and team player, these skills are very common and everyone uses them.
Use job-related skills, this will help you stand out and try to fill as many skills as you can.
Reach out to your co-workers and ask them to endorse you and in return, you can endorse them.
LinkedIn also has an interests section, this will give you a chance to tell the companies about your interests.
So if your interests align with the company and the job they’re hiring for, they would be more likely to contact you.
Now, I’d suggest that you should put your profile on “open for new opportunities”.
Scared that your boss might find out? Just activate it for “only recruiters”.
Always use the First person in your LinkedIn profile!
Read your LinkedIn profile thoroughly multiple times to make sure that there aren’t any grammatical mistakes or typos.
Now, once you have completed your profile, go for the all-star status.
All-star status is given to fully set up profiles, and LinkedIn would favour these more complete profiles.
An all-star status is one way to make LinkedIn work for you.
How to Achieve All-star status on LinkedIn?
Since you know how to make a LinkedIn Profile now, Why not make LinkedIn work for you!
You need a completed profile as I have mentioned above and its importance.
You need at least 50 connections to achieve the all-star status.
You can try connecting to people on LinkedIn in your chosen industry, or accept connection invites.
Reach out to your co-workers and connect with them.
I know it sounds like a lot of work but most people don’t have a complete LinkedIn profile.
Lastly, profiles with an all-star status are likely to get almost 40 times more job opportunities.
Conclusion
Having a LinkedIn profile is no longer a choice but a necessity!
LinkedIn allows you to connect and network with people from all over the world.
If you’re here till now I’m sure you’ve understood everything about how to make a LinkedIn profile.
Keep expanding your connections and let LinkedIn work for you and bring you exciting job opportunities.
Lastly, Don’t let your reach shrink, Link yourself with LinkedIn!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Is having a LinkedIn profile necessary?
Yes, having an online professional presence is necessary to avail new opportunities.
Should you smile in your LinkedIn profile photo?
Smiling in the photo would make you look more approachable and friendly as compared to a non-smiling serious-faced photo, so I would recommend that you smile.
What are the cons of LinkedIn?
Since LinkedIn has almost 800 million users, it’s hard to get noticed by recruiters.
How do I write about myself on LinkedIn?
Write in the first person, tell your story, use catchy hooks, use keywords and your work experience so that the recruiters take notice.
