Quick review from last week in case you missed it!
- You’ve got a unique story to tell.
- Your goal is to show you’re interesting and memorable.
- Others (alums, profs, Career Services) want to help you craft that story if you’re stuck.
There are lots of reasons someone might look at your LinkedIn page. Potential employers almost certainly will look, but someone you have asked to do an informational interview might look too. A new supervisor, someone you’re working on a project with — it’s a good quick way to get a sense of who you are. They’re looking for your resume/history, sure, but they are also looking at your presence. Is it professional but also personal? Have you thoroughly created a profile or did you just enter the most basic information? Most importantly, did you use the ‘About’ section? While you (and your friends) may have spent hours snapping LinkedIn profile pictures, you might not have taken the same amount of time for your “About.”
For your “About,” tell a story about who you are. Some things to include:
- Where are you from?
- Pronouns, if that’s important to you?
- What year are you?
- What do you study?
- What are you interested in? (e.g. nonprofits/NGOs, international trade, foreign policy, opinion polls… you decide!)
- Why do you do what you do?
Just like last week, don’t forget to send it off to some trusted people and ask for any feedback!
Hot tip: If you are still indecisive about your major, don’t worry! This isn’t set in stone. Something is better than nothing, but just ensure it’s professional and authentically you.
Second hot tip: Set yourself a reminder to read your ‘About’ in six months and update it.
Stuck? Click here or here for inspiration! Goal for this week:
Remember what you did last week? Now make it a little shorter! Create a LinkedIn “About” that’s no longer than 75 words.
Next Week: Avoiding Cold Feet When Writing Cold Emails