Topic 3: Using LinkedIn to find an Internship or Job

Ever wondering where and how you’ll get a job

after graduation?

LinkedIn is the place to start mapping your career, whatever stage of

education you’re at.

Read on to find out why your ideal internship or job might be so much

closer than you think.

If you’ve been following the series you’ll already have some key learning under your

belt that’ll come in super useful here.

From Topic 1, you’ll know all about creating a killer profile and how important listing

all your accomplishments (academic, professional and personal)

is to being found.

And, after Topic 2, you’ll be aware of how crucial relationships can be to career success.

The secret is to start with your immediate network and see your connections grow –

based on who they know.

Here in Topic 3 we’re going to look at how a few simple and

easy actions could help you get your foot in the door of a great

company before graduation.

So – let’s get stuck in!

Step 1: Connecting yourself with opportunities

Question – is your headline serving you

as well as it could?

Having a strong headline with relevant key words could

supercharge your profile.

Once you’re satisfied your headline is doing your profile justice and helping you to be found, it’s time to turn your attention to your summary.

Have you included some key words or phrases here that others in your industry will recognise and

that will help you to be found in searches?

Revisit your education section. Make sure you’ve completed all the relevant sections here including courses, projects,

languages, certifications and organisations you belong to.

Once you’re sure those sections are ship shape you

can rest assured that LinkedIn is working hard behind the

scenes, looking out for your ideal job.

Based on the information you’ve now provided in your profile, LinkedIn will

recommend jobs you may be interested in.

While you’re using LinkedIn, you’ll see personalized notes and receive emails

about new roles that appear suited to you.

The Student Job portal is ideal if you’re in the early

stages of your career.

It only includes entry level positions - so that you can maximize your time on LinkedIn to accomplish what you need.

Entry-level positions can be great roles to start and work your way up with.

The next action in your job search is to start harnessing the power of your network!

The people you know and who they know are invaluable.

Whether it’s for advice,

interview practice, or an introduction to a company, you

might be surprised at the support your contacts are willing to give.

If they’ve ever had similar help before,

they might be happy to give back!

Step 2: Get that internship or job

So you’re confident your profile is working as hard as it can be for you, you’re using the student jobs portal

and harnessing the power of your network.

What next?

Research is key to any

successful job search, whether you’re a student

or not. Do the legwork and you’ll reap the rewards.

You are here.

Whether you want to work in a specific city, industry or company, LinkedIn’s amazing search filters allow you to narrow down your

ideal role based on criteria you select.

Thousands of jobs and internship opportunities are

posted on LinkedIn every day. Make sure you

check regularly.

And what’s great about LinkedIn is that when you

look at a job that’s relevant, LinkedIn will also suggest

‘similar jobs’.

In addition, there’s the “People who looked at this

job also looked at these jobs” feature - which you should

find equally useful.

And of course, the more information you can gather

about a prospective employer the better.

If you want to find out information about a

company, the mammoth LinkedIn database can

most certainly help.

You can follow companies you’re interetsed in and

get news updates – some of the information companies post can be valuable to job seekers and could help you

prepare for an interview.

You might also want to search to find out who you

know at companies that are hiring.

Or, on a different track, find out if there’s anyone in your network who

works at your ideal company or in your ideal role. Why not ask for advice

or referrals?

Who knows - you might already have a foot in the door at your dream job…

And there’s also the option to check out company pages to find out which people are doing the jobs you’d like to do at

companies you’re interested in and follow them.

Now let’s turn our

attention to recruiters. Hundreds of thousands of

recruiters use LinkedIn every day to find ideal candidates. Most specialise in a particular field or industry and have the power to

match you with your perfect job.

Why not do your research

and reach out to a pool of appropriate recruiters directly?

If the mountain won’t come to you, you should go to

the mountain!

Whatever the industry you want to work in, LinkedIn’s community has loads of advice. From job interview tips to writing cover

letters and learning presentation skills. Take advantage of all the great information at your fingertips.

Managed to land that all-important interview? Be

sure to check out who you’ll be meeting on LinkedIn

beforehand. You may have similar interests, hobbies or

connections in common.

When you meet, mentioning a shared interest can be a great ice breaker and can

help establish an immediate connection.

And, as a final word, make yourself stand out from the crowd

by staying abreast of industry developments.

Make use of all the brilliant content on

LinkedIn for tips and tricks from experts.

So there you have it. Follow these simple tips and you’ll land your ideal role in no time.

To recap:

Ensure your profile is optimised for your skills

Find jobs you may be interested in via search filters and the Student Job Portal

Use your connections for advice and to establish potential leads

Do your research at every stage of the job-hunting process.

Good luck in your job search!