LinkedIn is Ideal for College Students (SayCampusLife)

aigiqinf
Fri, 20 Jul 2012 21:32:45 +0000

As stated above, LinkedIn is free. I’ve found it very useful and most of the people I’ve talked to who don’t like it aren’t using it correctly (that is, they aren’t using it actively). Yes, you put your experience and connect to people you know; yes, you join relevant groups.

But that’s only the beginning. The more active you are in groups, the more contacts you meet. As a student, you’re also able to connect with large numbers of professional you wouldn’t be able to engage well otherwise (100+ business cards, not knowing if someone’s swapped positions). You can research potential jobs and companies–see alumni from your college who hold positions at companies you’re interested in. As an anecdote, I just met a former member of my small college social club who’s running for public office in my state.

Also, you learn about the professional background of friends and other contacts. I got an internship offer for a federal government agency and I was able to search my network and contact people I knew who had worked at that agency or lived in the area for suggestions on logistics. Honestly, I’ve found LinkedIn to be an invaluable tool. If nothing else, make a high-quality profile and add your friends and professional contacts. Having a professional online presence is always good.