LinkedIn can feel like a platform where career excitement goes to die. Maybe you made your profile as a recommendation from a professor years ago, but actively avoid scrolling through your feed or updating your profile. Don’t fret; we’re here to help. Whether you’re hunting for a full-time job after graduation, networking with Emerson alumni, or simply interested in what’s out there, your LinkedIn profile is your first chance to make a good impression. Luckily, we’ve compiled a short list of ways to make your page stand out by implementing a few strategic tweaks that will not only make your page look better, but will make you feel better as an active member of the platform.
Here are a few ways to give your LinkedIn profile the glow up it deserves.
Customize Your Banner
Let’s start at the top of your page. Your banner, though it may seem like a small detail, is one of the first things people see when they look at your LinkedIn profile. Sure, you can choose one of LinkedIn’s generic stock image suggestions, or you could go above and beyond and choose an image that captures your passion or career path to make a stronger impression.
If you’re a Publishing and Writing MA student, maybe your banner showcases a photo of stacked books. If you’re in the Writing for Film and Television MFA program, a photo with moody lighting and state-of-the-art cameras can grab a viewer’s attention. You can even customize your banner in Canva to include your name and email, if you feel comfortable sharing. It may be a small fix, but implementing an eye-catching and unique banner image makes you stand out before an employer even gets to read about your awesome skills.
The About Section
Your About section should feel like a blend of a personal statement and an elevator pitch. Instead of quickly listing your recent roles or accomplishments, think about what makes you a valuable asset to a company or a creative team. What experience do you have that sets you apart from other candidates? Use this open-ended space to explain what drives you and why you care about the industry you’re passionate about. And most importantly, be sure to end your About section with a call to action. By adding a line like “open to editorial internships” or “connect with me if you love storytelling,” your confidence will radiate off the screen and your profile turns into an open invitation for new connections and opportunities.
Headline
It makes perfect sense if your current headline reads “Graduate Student at Emerson College;” that’s the default for most of us. But you, like thousands of other higher education students around the country, are so much more than your degree title. Think of the headline as a super quick way to market yourself and your interests or skills. Instead of relying on your student status, opt to include a current job you have, whether it’s an internship or a part-time position, as well as a passion or industry focus. Include elements like “photographer,” “poet,” or “content strategist.” Even if you’re still in the early stages of these roles, they make up part of your complex identity.
Don’t Be Afraid to Add More Than Expected
Have writing samples you’re proud of? Design work you spent painstaking hours perfecting? A research paper that took half the semester to finish? Or maybe even specific courses that help highlight the niche industry knowledge you’re learning at Emerson? Add them all! The more you can do to make yourself seem as creative, skilled, and human as possible, the better sense an employer gets from your profile. These extra additions highlight sides of you that aren’t listed in job responsibilities, and someone viewing your profile might really resonate with the work you’re doing.
Who to Follow
Take a few minutes to research and follow at least 30 companies that you admire or could see yourself working for. One of the main reasons students tend to avoid LinkedIn is that their feed is saturated with long lists of peers’ and colleagues’ accomplishments. While it’s great to wish others well on their career journey, it can be hard not to feel a need to compare or that you’re being left behind. Instead, curate your feed to become a professional news source, full of posts and job listings from companies you’re genuinely interested in. Your perspective on LinkedIn will shift drastically! Not to mention, recruiters can see who follows their company’s account, and that one small “follow” can give you a boost in the interview process.
And don’t be afraid to take it a step further and comment on an organization’s posts every once in a while! Just applied for an internship with Penguin Random House? Let them know how excited you are for the opportunity in their next post advertising the position.
When to Post
Now this step is often the hardest part of glowing up your LinkedIn. The reality is, the more you post, the better your visibility and engagement will be. That doesn’t mean crafting a five paragraph essay every week, but aim to create one post on LinkedIn every month. And remember, a meaningful post is not always about celebrating new jobs or promotions. Post about a project you just finished for class that you’re particularly proud of, and list the skills you learned along the way. Share a book you just finished that you think your network would benefit from reading — whether it’s a self-help book or novel that helped you escape the daily throes of the world. Document a volunteer opportunity and networking event you attended.
Similar to your About section, creating a more holistic view of yourself on this platform makes it clear that you are engaged and enthusiastic. You’re not just someone who was forced to set up a LinkedIn profile and then never gave it a second glance. When it comes to posting on LinkedIn, the possibilities are endless, and the more often you can press that scary “post” button, the less pressure you’ll feel about it. You might even be excited to share more of yourself with your growing community.
Remember, being an active member of LinkedIn doesn’t have to be intimidating or a full-time job. By utilizing these simple tips to glow up your profile, you may get more out of the platform than ever. And as the semester winds down, keep an eye out for projects or presentations that you want to share with your network. As a member of the Emerson community, your voice and talents deserve to be celebrated!
Leave a Reply