Creating a LinkedIn profile is an essential step for college students looking to get a headstart into the professional world.

Having an accomplished LinkedIn can help gain personalized connections, discover job opportunities, and showcase your skills and achievements! This is a great addition to your professional profile and gives you many unseen benefits that could be your make-or-break detail for a future job.

Profile Basics

Headline

Create a slogan, a tagline of sorts, that you can market yourself through. This headline should be synonymous with your name, personality, or industry you wish to enter. It can be a promotion of your skills and what you are searching for professionally, such as “Aspiring Digital Marketing Coordinator,” or “Business Student at Auburn University.” Anything that catches the eye and can be used to start a conversation… keep it professional of course!

For example, mine plays off my last name ‘Steele,’ and coordinates my ability to be tough and determined in my job… as steel tends to be.

Summary

Write an engaging summary that highlights your career goals, skills, and what makes you unique. Depending on what career you aspire toward, including personality tests and results could also be beneficial. Make sure you include keywords related to your field of study and career interests, opening opportunities for people within the desired field to contact you. You can find a variety of templates online, find one that you enjoy down below! https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-templates-thatll-make-writing-the-perfect-linkedin-summary-a-breeze

Education

This one seems self-explanatory, but make sure to represent Auburn University in the best way possible! Add your specific achievements, such as any academic achievements, scholarships, or honors. Get recognition for those Dean’s List accomplishments! Auburn is proud, and you should be too!

Experience Section

Internships and Part-Time Jobs:

List any relevant internships, part-time jobs, or volunteer experiences. Focus on accomplishments and skills developed during these experiences, emphasizing the outcomes your efforts generated. Talk about the events you put on with “X amount of people in attendance, worked with X amount of businesses, generated X amount of profit/volunteers/donations.” Emphasize the impact and the reach you’ve had, as well, as the specific skills you’ve excelled at in this role.

Projects

Describe your role, the problem you solved, and the results achieved. I have created certain projects under my job that highlight specific duties I have done, such as a “Be Well Blog Writing” and “Round The Rec” project during my time at Auburn Recreation and Wellness. Each of these is separate a entity I worked on during my time at Auburn Recreation, so with this, I can give each project its proper appreciation and explanation. Make sure to add any skills you feel have flourished under the nourishment of each of your positions and projects!

Skills and Certifications

Add skills that are relevant to your career goals. Any of those helpful online courses you’ve completed from individual companies, such as HubSpot and SemRush, are uber beneficial and make you so well-rounded, highlighting your drive to go above and beyond.

Recommendations

Request recommendations from professors, mentors, or employers. You can personalize the request and specify the skills or projects you'd like them to highlight. These are so important! This allows future employers to glimpse what your higher-ups think of you, how you operate within the office, and your influence on certain projects. This also provides a chance to network and connect with your employer or mentor in an environment outside of your traditional.

Networking

Connect with your classmates, alumni, professors, or anyone you could think would further your reach and influence in your desired field! For requests regarding specialized connections, personalize connection requests with a brief message. Something that introduces yourself and your goals, as well as asks for any advice or direction they may be willing to give.

Showcasing Your Work

Media and Publications

Add links to relevant projects, articles, or presentations. If you've written articles, blog posts, or contributed to publications, you should promote these and provide samples! If your article or publication involves collaboration with others or mentions specific individuals or organizations, be sure to attach them to these projects. This not only increases visibility but could also lead to making more connections and opportunities for networking. Alongside sharing the link to your article or publication, provide additional insights or commentary! Share what inspired you to write it, what you learned during the process, or any relevant anecdotes. This personal touch adds value to your post and encourages great discussions!

Building a standout LinkedIn profile is a game-changer for college students entering the professional world. By curating a profile that highlights your unique skills, experiences, and aspirations, you open doors to valuable connections and exciting career prospects. So, take the time to craft your profile thoughtfully - it could be the best decision for post-grad you!

Be Well, Auburn.