Back in the days when i was a student the greatest thing we had online was IRC and online chats and of course an e-mail. That was the only thing to network online. Do you remember that? 
These days students have an opportunity to network before they graduate through LinkedIn®. It gives them a great advantage in front of their classmates if they fully use all the tools that LinkedIn® provides.
Last week some of my students went to a career days on their university and during the lecture break we talked about their CVs and their LinkedIn® profiles. I found out that they are using LinkedIn, but not as much as they should be and here is why:
Most of them think that because they do not have much professional (work) experience they do not have much to present on LinkedIn. Wrong! Dear students, you do have much to offer to your future employers and don’t be afraid to show it!
So, show your college accomplishments with the following LinkedIn® tools (add them to your profile):
- Projects: You probably participated in some projects in your classroom or on university and have worked in the team. Add compelling research or class projects to your profile, especially those that demonstrate experience relevant to your future job.
- Honors & Awards: Did you get scholarship? Show it on your profile. You were the best student? Show it also.
- Organizations: Did you participate in university or some external organization? Add it to your profile. Your new employer will look for your leadership abilities and your impact within that organization.
- Test Scores: Include your great tests scores (i know you have them). That scores shows your good problem solving skills.
- Courses: Include the strongest courses of your university experience. List them on your profile, especially the ones that will qualify you for the job you are seeking.
So, good luck with presenting yourself on LinkedIn® and with your first job!
Dejan Gostimir is Professional LinkedIn® Profile Writer, Professional Coach and Speaker for using LinkedIn®. Read more of his work on his website www.linkedin-superstar.com
