How to Use LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is a professional social network that is slowly but surely becoming an integral part of professional life. But why should you create a profile? How should you navigate it, what information should you include, and what will help you stand out? We’ll cover that in today’s article.

• Who are LinkedIn users? They can be managers, HR specialists, and entrepreneurs, but also graduates, or university students looking for jobs.
• Connections: On LinkedIn, people form connections that can be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd degree (and so on). But what does that mean? A 1st-degree connection means that you have accepted an invitation to connect or someone has accepted yours (similar to a friend request). 2nd-degree connections are people connected to your 1st-degree connections. An explanation for the 3rd-degree connections does not seem necessary.
• Hashtags and abbreviations: You might also encounter users labeled as LION, #OpenToWork, or #Hiring. LION stands for LinkedIn Open Networker. In practice, this means that users with this label accept connection invitations from anyone who sends them one. Hashtags appear on a user’s profile photo. #OpenToWork indicates that you are open to new job opportunities, while #Hiring is mainly used by recruiters looking for new team members.

Now that we’ve outlined how this social network works, we can move on to creating your profile. A polished LinkedIn profile is essential and can determine whether recruiters reach out to you with job offers. Follow these guidelines:

• Profile and cover photos should look professional. If you don’t have a professional photo yet, don’t worry. You can have one taken at the next Job Fair ŠANCE. For the background, a picture with the logo of the company you work for or the school you attend is appropriate.
• The professional introduction should be a quote or motto that symbolizes your approach to work. Be careful that it’s not too generic and doesn’t turn people away from your profile.
• Write a short article about yourself, summarizing your biggest achievements so far. Don’t forget to fill in the education, work experience, and skills sections. If you have a sympathetic supervisor who is satisfied with your work, they can endorse your skills, increasing your credibility.
• Be active – Connect with others, respond to posts, and share your professional opinions and achievements. Avoid personal and private matters and strive for formal communication.

We hope this article has motivated you and introduced you to the world of LinkedIn. By creating your profile, you significantly increase your chances of receiving interesting job offers without having to send out resumes actively. We wish you much success and good luck!