LinkedIn Tips and Tricks
By Danielle Collins ‘20
Network! Connect! Search! Getting started on LinkedIn can seem daunting, but once you get the hang of it, it’s very manageable. I recently set up my LinkedIn account and have been slowly adding to it. I’ve met with a career advisor, and gotten advice from friends and people who work in my field about how to best use LinkedIn. I’m by no means an expert, but I thought I’d share some of the helpful tips I’ve learned so far!
I’ll walk you through some tricks I’ve learned for how to create your LinkedIn profile, how to make connections, how to best use the “Search” feature, and how posting works. Check out whichever section you want to learn more about, or all of them if you’re new to LinkedIn!
Creating Your Profile:
Profile picture:
Your profile picture should be professional, but it doesn’t have to be a headshot. It’s better to have a non-headshot photo than no photo at all. So, if you don’t have a professional headshot, use a nice informal photo. That means it should still be close up (shoulders and above), you should be dressed nice, the background should be something neutral, there should not be anyone else in the picture, and you should be able to clearly see your face.
Headline:
I’m still working on writing mine, but this should be a quick couple of sentences to tell people looking at your profile some important things about yourself and your goals. A good starting point is “I am a student at the University of Southern California studying X.” Then, pick a couple things you are involved in that are important to you to share, and perhaps include the career field you want to go into or a specific position you are interested in, and why you would be good for the job.
- Remember: Just a couple of sentences! Keep it short and sweet, like your LinkedIn elevator pitch!
Background:
(Work Experience, Education, Volunteer Experience)
Formatting for this portion is based on personal preference, but just remember the goal is for it to be easy for someone to read about your experiences and quickly learn about you! So, go for either bullet point sentences, or short paragraphs. Include some information on what the company/organization is, and what your role is.
- This part is like a resume, but I recommend wording it differently (don’t just copy and paste) in case an employer were to look at both your resume and LinkedIn. LinkedIn doesn’t have the page limit that a resume does, so feel free to expand a little as long as you keep everything concise.
- Make sure your experiences are relevant. That means you probably shouldn’t include old jobs like babysitting in middle school, or clubs from high school unless they still have a significant impact on your current job qualifications.
Skills:
Again, the key question for LinkedIn is “Is this relevant?” Any skills you include should have a correlation to the position you are looking to obtain, or the career field you are looking to go into. The skills should also be reflected in the things you are involved in (e.g. I am a blog writer for Trojans 360, so I can reasonably put “writing” as a skill).
- If people from your jobs/clubs can endorse you, have them do that! Anyone can say they are good at something, but if a person of authority backs that up it proves that you truly are good at it!
Accomplishments:
(Publications, Certifications, Patents, Courses, Projects, Honors and Awards, Test Scores, Languages, Organizations)
Add any relevant accomplishments from these categories. Easy ones to include are any languages you speak, any honor societies you are a part of, and any organizations you are involved in. Don’t go overboard (remember: relevant!)
Recommendations:
If you form a good relationship with a superior at a position you hold, ask them if they would be willing to write you a LinkedIn recommendation. I have not yet done this, but having a glowing recommendation from someone on your profile is only going to help you.
Interests:
This shows any LinkedIn profiles you are “following.” For example, if you put USC under education, USC will automatically be listed under your interests. I would recommend following any companies you are interested in working with, or organizations that you support.
Connections:
- LinkedIn will recommend making 30 connections in order to have a strong profile.
- The more connections you have, the more likely you are to be able to view other people’s profiles, which means you can connect with more people.
- When you send someone a request to connect, you can also send them a note. This is a good place to include how you know the person if you’ve met before, or why you want to connect with them (e.g. if you are interested in the company they work at, or the field they work in, or if they are a USC alum)
- 1st degree connections are people you have connected with, 2nd degree connections are people your 1st degree connections are connected with, and 3rd degree connections are people your 2nd degree connections are connected with. (See: How many times can you say “connect” in one sentence?)
Searching:
In order to make those connections, you’ll have to do some searching. LinkedIn allows you to do an advanced search for people and jobs. Here’s how it works:
1) Choose what you are searching for
2) Click “All Filters”
3) Input the relevant information for the people or jobs you want to find
- For people, I recommend searching for USC alumni in your location, company, or field. Reach out to them to learn more about what they do— take advantage of the Trojan Family perks!
Posting:
- This is something I have not done yet, and I’m still working on! Keep in mind that this is not social media, so only post relevant accomplishments. For example, if you attend an interesting event, or receive an award, or finish a project, etc.
- These are what show up on the homepage of LinkedIn, and what will show up on your profile under “Activity” (along with any posts that you like or comment on).
I hope those tips help you get started using LinkedIn! Like I said, I’m no expert, and I still have lots to learn. But the best way to learn is to make a profile and starting exploring! Happy connecting!
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