You’re probably familiar with major social networking sites like Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Facebook. One other platform that you might hear about is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is possibly the most valuable of all the social networking sites when used correctly, as it focuses on something that young adults need when getting a job: connections in their industry. Whether you’re just beginning your college journey or you’re graduating this semester, you should join LinkedIn right away! Here’s just a few reasons why:
Connect with Professionals in Your Field
You may enjoy checking your friends’ stories on Instagram or catching up with far-away family members on Facebook, but in most cases that won’t be too helpful when getting jobs after graduation. That’s where LinkedIn comes in. LinkedIn works similarly to these “just for fun” platforms in its ability to connect, but while it could be awkward to add your boss on Facebook, on LinkedIn, that’s exactly what you SHOULD do. You see, LinkedIn gives you the chance to connect with people who can help you throughout your career, be it old or current bosses and coworkers, professors you established good relationships with, or other professionals you met through networking events in person or online. These are all people you can count on when applying for jobs, and in many cases their shared knowledge pool can help you while you’re employed, too.
Find Jobs or Internships (and Apply for Them!)
LinkedIn has a space in its site just for job seekers. In this area, you can find, view, and even apply for jobs posted on the site. It works like Indeed, Glassdoor, Monster, or any one of the other job seeking sites out there, as you can search for a variety of jobs based on profession and area. If you want jobs to come to you, you can always turn on the “Let Recruiters Know You’re Open” feature.
Get Extra Info for an Interview
As every good job applicant knows, you should do some background research on an organization and your potential boss before the interview. LinkedIn gives the perfect opportunity for that! Find out more about your interviewer or future employer by visiting their LinkedIn page. LinkedIn will alert a person when you view their profile (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, they often take it as a sign you’re doing your research), but if that makes you nervous, you can always turn on Private Mode.
Keep in Touch with Your Alma Mater
After graduation, it’s easy to get caught up in everyday working life, but it’s good to see what’s going on at your old college so you don’t miss out on job fairs, networking events, and other opportunities geared toward alumni. LinkedIn will help you connect with your college as well as other alumni and students, so you can stay updated with what’s going on and meet others in your field with the same educational background. That’s important, because you never know when you could find a great job just because you went to the same college. When you make an account or update your current one, make sure you follow SUNY Ulster!
