The infamous LinkedIn….the one social media platform that we all dreaded setting up at one point or another. Let me convince you why it’s worth the leap in my Top 5 reasons you need LinkedIn:
1) It’s the new place to find a job. Based on your skills and keywords that you include in your LinkedIn profile, recruiters can search for attributes of their ideal candidate and find them on LinkedIn rather than recruiting the old fashioned way.
2) You can tell your story. Unlike an ordinary paper resume which must be short and sweet, your LinkedIn profile has no word limit. It gives you the chance to show your personality and story, and to constantly update little milestones that have added up to your success! You can also upload your personal blog posts or projects that you’ve done to prove to recruiters that what you say you can do is true and you’re not another “perfect interviewee gone wrong”.
3) You can find and stalk your favourite companies. Have a dream company that you’ve always wanted to work for, but never know when they’re hiring? Connect with the company on LinkedIn and you’ll be that much more likely to know when a job posting appears. Connect with recruiters from these companies to show your eager interest.
4) You can start building your professional network. Are you the type of person that groans every time someone mentions the word “networking”. I know I am. LinkedIn allows you to start building your professional network the easy way: simply by pressing the connect button. Now you’re able to build your professional circle without the stress of coming off as awkward or saying the wrong thing.
5) Have your peers endorse your skills for you. Once again, the proof is in the pudding, my friends! Having others vouch for your skills rather than you simply stating that you are a “social media expert” or “excellent baker” seems more trustworthy.
So, there you go! I hope I have you convinced that your next personal project is setting up your LinkedIn profile. Go forth, young professionals!
(for your reference below, I have attached a guide to build your perfect LinkedIn profile)
