LinkedIn is an important networking resource not only for college students, but for anyone who is seeking employment.

The site is the largest professional network in the world with over one billion members. It allows users to display their qualifications and make connections with people in their desired fields. 

I recently became a member of LinkedIn. I felt that it was beneficial for my career based on the success stories I have heard about those who display their qualifications well to employers. 

Through using the site, I can show my experiences and skills to employers. Plus, it allows me to include more than what is on my resume. It was also a requirement for the Future Forward program here at DePaul University. 

I spent time adding many of the categories to my LinkedIn profile. I added an ‘about’ section, experience, education, skills, organization section and more. I was careful to craft each in a way that makes me stand out to potential employers.

LinkedIn allows people to show their qualifications: employers can see that someone has a background in the field and has applied the necessary skills in their previous experiences. 

Rebecca Fairbanks, a DePaul freshman, has been on LinkedIn since her senior year of high school. She’s a prime example of how LinkedIn can be a resource for individuals. 

She struggled with including her personality on her profile and learned how to describe her work experiences by stating what she did and what the outcome was. 

But now, using the site, Fairbanks was able to connect with a speaker on LinkedIn before she spoke to her senior year business class. Fairbanks spoke with her after the speech, and that led to obtaining the speaker’s phone number and getting a brand ambassador position. 

“I definitely try and connect with people before I meet them,’’ Fairbanks said. “Then also having keywords in my header that’s like, ‘honors marketing student at DePaul.’’’

She wants to ensure that she is easily found on the site. On her profile, she describes how she uses her skills in what she is currently doing. 

“(I put) how I use my graphic designs skills and my digital media skills for my internship,’’ Fairbanks said. “(I put) those two together so people can be like ‘okay, she’s having her internship because she’s good at this and she’s working on this.”’

Having connections and the ability to make yourself stand out is important. If you have a great profile and nobody sees it, you may as well not even have a profile. Being seen and having the connections on the platform is just as important as your qualifications. 

Nina Abnee, an advertising professional in residence in the College of Communication, feels that LinkedIn is very important. 

“I think LinkedIn is a huge opportunity for students and essential in communication fields. I know there are some fields of employment where LinkedIn is not used, but in PRAD (public relations and advertising) it is very valuable,’’ Abnee said. 

She feels that LinkedIn is helpful for advertising and public relations because there is a big and active network. 

Abnee has a “huge network’’ on LinkedIn and tends to use the site to contact people over email or other sites. She also stated that human resources and recruiters use the site to find talent.

For students to have success, Abnee said that they must participate and follow the companies and people that interest them. 

“Reach out to contacts. Look at the job postings. And, importantly, have a fabulous LinkedIn page,’’ Abnee said. “You need to stand out, not look like everyone else.’’

She also shared that a LinkedIn profile should highlight who the person is and not what they think others want to see. It should also be well-written. 

Some people believe that LinkedIn is becoming more of a popularity contest due to connections being similar to followers. Abnee does not think that is the case.

Fairbanks said that she sees profiles that have many connections, but are not updated. This may mean that people get content with their high followers because they feel it will help their career, and then they neglect the app. 

“I’m on there (LinkedIn) to showcase my work, to describe what I am doing,’’ Fairbanks said. “I’m not just scrolling through. I have intention with who I connect with and why I reach out to people and what I post.’’

Abnee also said that “if you don’t take it seriously and participate it won’t be useful.’’

Fairbanks’ LinkedIn page used to consist of where she worked before entering college. Now, she has included her internship and that she was a brand ambassador this past summer. She has curated an approach to make herself stand out on a site with a large number of users, which gave her the opportunity to pursue her internship

“The power of LinkedIn really showed there,’’ Fairbanks said.

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