It’s funny how many times I’ve heard the phrase, “I just can’t get into it because that site just isn’t as fun.”
There are no fun or crafty ideas, no way to creep on the people you haven’t talked to since high school and no jokes. You don’t “comment” or “tweet” about the day you’re having or the diet you’re starting.
You don’t get to look at pictures from the big party on Friday night or the vacation your best friend took last summer.
There are so many things people put on the list to avoid joining this site instead of looking at the benefits of doing so. You may say it’s not fun, but this website isn’t about being fun.
This website is about helping your career search and networking skills. And I don’t know about you, but I think having a job right out of college would be “fun.”
The benefits of creating a LinkedIn profile are endless. When you create an account for yourself, you’re creating a professional online image. It allows a place for professional networking and maintaining connections, as well as a place for others to endorse or recommend your skills.
My favorite thing about LinkedIn is the job search option. Based on your profile, LinkedIn will select jobs or internship opportunities that may be of interest to you. This is, in my opinion, one of the best resources out there for this purpose.
Now, I love Pinterest as much as the next girl, but down the road, chances of that site helping me land a job are slim. Even though I’m guilty of spending my time procrastinating on sites such as that, Facebook and Twitter, I understand how important it is to set aside time for the professional world, too.
At the beginning of this school year, I wrote an article about the appropriate way to present yourself on social media. In it, I quoted Ferris alumni Kelsey Schnell. He works as the marketing and public relations officer for Mackinac State Historic Parks, and he was also my supervisor last summer.
As quoted previously, he said, “LinkedIn is easy to do. It’s creating a profile, uploading your resume and then finding people you know on there in a professional sense and connecting with them. [It’s an] invaluable resource to begin making those professional connections digitally.”
Even if you don’t plan on graduating for a few more semesters, I would highly recommend you make a LinkedIn profile and keep up with it. When you graduate, you’ll be glad you did. Trust me.