LinkedIn Tips for College Students and Recent Grads

Upload a headshot photo that makes you look like a mature professional. It's okay to use a photo shot by a friend or family member, just as long as your pose, smile, and clothing look appropriate. Make sure your face is clearly visible, taking up the majority of your profile picture.

Write an informative headline featuring several keywords. Use this short statement to quickly communicate what type of role you're seeking, including a particular industry if that's relevant. LinkedIn headlines for college students may look something like "Marketing student aspiring to become content strategist for fashion brand" or "MBA candidate seeking logistics or operations management position."

Expand on your educational achievements. In addition to the degree you're about to earn or have recently completed, include impressive details such as your GPA and any honors you've achieved. Be sure to include any licenses or certifications if you have them.

Develop a strong professional summary in the About section. You can write up to 2,000 characters, which is about 300 words, but it's okay to keep it short if you have limited work experience. Use this space to describe your career goals, what you've accomplished so far, and a few of your personal characteristics. Write as if you're interviewing with the hiring manager of your ideal job.

List your work experience in reverse chronological order. Starting with your most recent job, list the company, your title, dates of employment, and other pertinent details. Under each item, make a bulleted list of your primary responsibilities and especially any specific or measurable achievements. Be sure to include internships and volunteer work.

Load up the skills and expertise section with keywords. This is an ideal place to describe both technical skills and soft skills, and look for opportunities to insert keywords and phrases that recruiters and hiring managers in your desired industry search for while you're at it. For example, you could mention software or equipment you've been trained to use, as well as qualities like "collaborative," "flexible," and "detail-oriented." Experts say you should list at least 10, but you can include as many as 50. Use the LinkedIn skills assessment tool if you need help identifying key skills.

Request recommendations from others. The best recommendations come from managers you've worked with in the past, but comments and endorsements from previous co-workers, coaches, and professors who can highlight your skills and abilities are also valuable.

Be strategic in connecting with individuals. In addition to connecting with people you know — such as former classmates and co-workers — you can request connections with people you don't know but may be helpful to you. With a little research, you can identify other professionals who hold the type of job you're seeking, who work at companies where you'd like to work, or who are alumni of your university.

Customize your connection invitations. Instead of using the generic LinkedIn invite, write something personal to explain why you're asking to connect. For example, you could write, "I recently graduated college with a degree in chemistry, and I'm hoping to become a materials scientist like you. I've enjoyed reading your informative posts. Would you like to connect?" Most people are happy to expand their networks in this way, too.

Join and participate in LinkedIn groups. There are hundreds of professional networking groups within LinkedIn, and there's bound to be a handful related to your desired occupation, college, and other professional interests. Periodically dropping in on these group discussions among LinkedIn members allows you to learn what's happening in your industry or occupation. It also helps you identify group members to invite to join your network. An added bonus is that your groups show up on your profile, reinforcing your professional image to anyone who views your page.

Interact with others by posting regularly. The best way to build a presence on this social media platform — and to be helpful to others — is to post relevant information often. LinkedIn posts can describe personal activities such as events you're attending or projects you're working on, or they could promote studies, white papers, and articles that others have written about your industry or job. Aim for three to five posts per week, and try to include some type of image if you can to draw attention to your post. Also look for more opportunities to add insightful comments to the posts that appear in your feed.

Consider using the #OpenToWork frame on your profile photo. If you are unemployed or openly looking for a full-time job in your field, this may be a way to let recruiters and others know you're available. However, it's not necessary if your profile has been optimized to attract hiring managers using the tips above, so think through the pros and cons of this step before implementing it.

Create and upload a PDF of your resume. In addition to your online resume embedded in your profile, you should include a traditional resume formatted in the standard 8 ½" x 11" size that recruiters and hiring managers can download and/or print out. Make sure that all of the company names, job titles, dates, and other details match your embedded resume exactly.

Use the search tool to research companies in the fields or industries you're interested in. Many organizations have a company page that provides all kinds of useful information for job seekers.

Use the LinkedIn Jobs tool to search for openings. A great way to start is by inputting the job title you'd like to land. If there are several options, conduct additional searches for all of them. You can also use filters such as location, date posted, and remote work to narrow down the search results. Some job opportunities that come up in your search may align with your preferences more closely than others, so apply to all those you think may be a good match. You can save your searches, too, which makes it easier to access the results again at a later time.

Consider how you want to apply to LinkedIn job opportunities. If you wish, you can apply another filter to your job search, which is "Easily Apply." This filter will show you only the jobs you can apply to directly through LinkedIn. This step does make the application process easier, but it may eliminate some job openings that could be perfect for you.

Flip the "Job Alert" toggle switch on. LinkedIn will notify you whenever a new opening is posted that may fit your job criteria.