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LinkedIn is a powerful platform that can help you connect with professionals, explore job opportunities, and build your professional brand.
Whether you already have a profile or are just getting started, use these tips and strategies to make the most out of LinkedIn. Expand each tip for more information!
Optimize Your Profile
- Start with a professional and friendly profile picture that represents you well.
- Craft a headline that highlights your field of study, skills, and career interests.
- Write a compelling summary that showcases your strengths, experiences, and career aspirations.
- Include details about your education, relevant coursework, internships, projects, and extracurricular activities.
- Emphasize any leadership positions or volunteer work that demonstrate your skills and commitment.
Connect with Your Network
- Connect with classmates, professors, alumni, and colleagues from internships or part-time jobs.
- Personalize your connection requests by mentioning shared interests, mutual connections, or a specific reason for connecting.
- Engage with your university's alumni network and reach out to alumni in your field of interest for advice and networking opportunities.
Engage with Relevant Content
- Follow companies, organizations, and thought leaders in your desired industry to stay informed.
- Engage with their posts by liking, commenting, and sharing valuable insights or questions.
- Join LinkedIn groups related to your field of study or career interests and actively participate in discussions.
- Share interesting articles, projects, or experiences that demonstrate your knowledge and passion.
Leverage LinkedIn Features
- Utilize the "Jobs" section to explore internships, entry-level positions, or part-time jobs in your field.
- Set up job alerts to receive notifications about new opportunities that match your criteria.
- Use the "Career Interests" feature to let recruiters know you're open to new opportunities.
- Showcase your skills and seek endorsements from classmates, professors, or internship supervisors.
Build a Personal Brand
- Publish articles or write posts on LinkedIn to showcase your expertise and share insights on topics related to your field.
- Request recommendations from professors, internship supervisors, or fellow students to strengthen your profile.
- Share your projects, presentations, or portfolios using LinkedIn's media feature to demonstrate your skills.
Network with Intent
- Follow up with new connections on LinkedIn after career fairs, networking events or informational interviews.
- Connect with professionals in your desired industry and request informational interviews.
Stay Active and Consistent
- Engage regularly by sharing content, commenting on posts, and responding to messages in a timely manner.
- Update your profile to reflect your ongoing projects, internships, or new skills you acquire.
- Set aside dedicated time each week to engage with LinkedIn and grow your network.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning is an on-demand video learning platform to help you develop and enhance skills.
Free access to LinkedIn Learning is provided to all UW students, staff, and faculty by the Student Technology Fee.
Content
- 16,000+ courses organized into brief chapters
- Taught by accomplished instructors and recognized industry experts
- New videos added weekly
- Beginner, intermediate and advanced level videos
- Available in 7 languages
- Sample content categories include project management, marketing, finance, data science, web development, product and manufacturing, video, graphic design, and user experience
Learn More
- How to Use LinkedIn Learning (video)
- How to Create a Collection (video)
- Search for Courses (video)
- LinkedIn Learning help desk for learners
Support for Linkedin Learning Admins
- Admins can great groups of learners, curate and recommend video collections, and more. If you would like to request Admin access, please email Briana Randall
- Video demonstrating what staff can do as an admin in LinkedIn Learning
- Article about how to create a Learning Path or Collection
- Article about how to add customized content to LinkedIn Learning
- Videos to help students develop career readiness competencies
- Instructions on how to find the SSO link for each course (so students are directed to a specific course upon log-in)
- UW-branded digital marketing assets (email banners and social media graphics)
- Additional admin tools, including ideas for courses to promote
Access
- UW students, staff, and faculty can log in with their UW credentials here
- Unlimited access on desktop, mobile, and tablet devices anywhere with internet
- Convenient mobile app makes it easy to download videos for offline viewing
- Available 24/7
Features
- Create and share custom playlists of favorite courses
- Explore professional learning paths for in-demand skills
- Add completed courses to LinkedIn profile with the click of a button
Uses
- Brush up on skills you might be asked about in an interview
- Learn new skills to make you more competitive for jobs that interest you
- Watch videos to help you more fully understand topics taught in your courses
- Prepare for professional certification exams and earn CEUs
