Use LinkedIn and social media – Kent Business School Employability

On this page:

Your online identity
Using LinkedIn for professinal networking and job hunting
Getting started
How to create an effective profile
Additional tips and resources
– Top tips
– LinkedIn Cheat Sheet
– Using Facebook

1. Your online identity

Most employers have an online presence, so join up, join in and get involved online. A good starting point is to use Google to find out what comes up for yourself. Search by typing ‘Your Name’ in inverted commas. Problems can easily arise, for example, when somebody else has the same name as you and may not portray a positive image.

If you are planning to work in marketing, especially digital marketing, then having an online presence is a must. This also applies for any other job where digital work is involved, such as IT consultancy, where employers may just check you out online!

Another must is tidying up and tightening your privacy settings. Most employers use the main three platforms, i.e. Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Caution! – What you put out into the cyber world normally stays out there! Avoid criticism of others or discussing your employer in public.

2. Using LinkedIn for professional networking and job hunting

Linked In

LinkedIn is the most widely used professional networking site in the world. It’s used to display some information about you (similar to your CV) and allows you to connect with people in your field around the world.

You can join interest groups, stay up-to-date in your professional field and make connections and meet people online who also work in your field. Some employers and recruitment agencies scan LinkedIn for potential head-hunting opportunities.

3. Getting started

Click on the image below for LinkedIn’s short videos about setting up your profile and making the most of LinkedIn.

4. How to create an effective profile

Click here for the LinkedIn Profile Checklist

5. Additional tips and resources

– Abintegro: Top LinkedIn tips

Top LinkedIn tips for graduates

By Abintegro on May 19, 2016 11:19 am

You may have heard LinkedIn described as “Facebook for grown-ups”, but it’s really a lot more important (and complex) than that.

As the world’s number one online business network, it can be a fantastic springboard for students and recent graduates looking to make the leap into the professional world.

Opening a LinkedIn account is not to be done lightly, however. First impressions are important and you want to be giving out the right messages straight from the off. Here are our top tips for getting your profile up and running:

1. Don’t rush in
There’s the temptation to start growing your network as quickly as possible, but hold
fire while you consider your objectives and what you hope to gain by joining. Think carefully about the industries you’re interested in and the kinds of employers and connections you want to attract.

2. Start from the top
Your next step is to choose a profile picture that sends out the right messages. Keep things formal for most industries; you can afford to be a little more ‘original’ for creative professions such as advertising. Your headline can be quite punchy – something like ‘Ambitious graduate ready for adventures in marketing’.

3. It’s all in the summary
The ‘Summary’ is the extension of your headline and is essentially your personal sales blurb. It needs to tell your ‘story’, and highlight what you offer to potential employers. Including keywords will help your profile show up in searches – browse job listings or profiles of people in your target industry for a better idea of the kind of language you should be using.

4. Leverage your experience
When it comes to experience it all counts, whether that’s paid work experience, internships or part-time jobs. The ‘Volunteering Experience’ segment is also important, and most recruiters will take this into consideration. Keep it concise: a few carefully chosen words and some clear formatting will help viewers to hone in on your key achievements and responsibilities.

5. Show them what you can do
A great function of LinkedIn is that it allows you to provide examples of your portfolio or projects you’ve worked on. You can upload articles, videos or photos using the ‘Add Media’ function, or include links to websites or blogs. Again, this doesn’t need to be paid work: college work or personal projects are just as valid.

Keep an eye on the ‘Profile Strength’ graphic at the top-right of the screen to see how far your profile is from completion. Remember that you can keep your profile private until you are ready in ‘Manage public profile settings’.

Once you’re happy all the key information is up there, you should be ready to start creating those connections and building your network.

– LinkedIn cheat sheet

Click on the image for a 7 part infographic designed to help people use their Linkedin account more effectively.

Produced by Leisurejobs.com.

– Using Facebook for job hunting
Many employers also have Facebook pages – join them to get updates and further insights. If you are planning to work in marketing and digital marketing, then having an online presence is a must. Remember to tidy up your personal Facebook settings.

Search for employer names of interest, industry groups etc. For example, there’s a Facebook site for Finance Work Experience in Canary Wharf, a useful starting point for anyone hoping to go into the City.