At some point during college, you were probably told to “make a LinkedIn” and “start networking” to land your first job. But did anyone actually teach you how? For recent graduates entering a tough job market, LinkedIn is more essential than ever as companies increase the use of AI in hiring and ghost job listings continue to surface.
Beyond being just a job board, LinkedIn allows you to grow your network, establish a personal brand and strengthen your applications. With 87% of recruiters using LinkedIn to source and vet candidates, having an optimized profile as you enter the workforce is critical. I spoke with former recruiters and career counselors to learn what it takes to make your LinkedIn presence and experience work for you.
The Profile
Your LinkedIn profile is the first impression you will make with potential employers. Having a strong profile is essential.
“LinkedIn is your opportunity to tell your story first,” says Laura Gassner Otting, career coach and author of Wonderhell: Why Success Doesn’t Feel Like It Should…and What to Do About It. “What do you want that story to look like?”
Start with a powerful headline, advises Tristan Layfield, Principal Career Coach and Owner at Layfield Resume Consulting. This field, located right below your name, should include the job title you are seeking and key skills that recruiters will be searching for. For example, use a headline like “Recent marketing graduate, aspiring data analyst skilled in Python and SQL.” By including specific skills and roles, you’re more likely to appear in recruiter searches for those terms.
If you are unsure how to word your profile, look around for inspiration, says John Mullinix, head of growth marketing at executive career site Ladders. “Go to their LinkedIn, check it out, see how they have it worded, see what their career progression is,” he suggests.
If you are uncertain about your post-grad direction, that’s okay. Layfield advises focusing on one industry for now and adjusting things later. In your headline and summary, focus on skills you want to apply in your first job.
“Even if you’re not 100% clear on the job or industry, we often know what we’re good at or what we want to do more of,” he notes.
Next, as you fill the “About” and “Experience” sections with your previous roles and interests, he advises keeping the social aspect of LinkedIn in mind. When hiring, he says, employers are asking themselves: “Would I want to work with this person?”
“People tend to get caught up on… LinkedIn being a professional social networking site,” he says. “They get caught up in the professional piece, but they forget the social piece.”
As you fill out your experience descriptions, Layfield suggests using the ARV framework: Action, Reason and Value. This means clarifying the action you took, why you took it and the value it brought to the company or client.
For “Value,” he emphasizes using specific, quantifiable results. For example, instead of saying you “led a team,” specify that you “led a team of seven, increasing efficiency by 25%.”
The skills section is arguably the most important. Former tech recruiter and career mentor Mahati Singh says recruiters often utilize LinkedIn Recruiter, filtering for keywords when searching for entry-level candidates. For example, in tech roles, they might filter for skills such as “web development.” If those keywords aren’t in your profile, you won’t show up in searches, regardless of your experience.
Then, Layfield recommends asking professors, classmates and former bosses for endorsements of your skills. These endorsements, he explains, provide “the social proof that you are what you say you are, that you do what you say you do.”
Build your Network
A strong network is essential in today’s job market, with a single LinkedIn job post often receiving thousands of applicants. Building connections can open doors, lead to referrals and give you valuable industry insights.
Layfield suggests starting with alumni from wherever you might have gone for post-secondary education, whom you can find through the “People” tab on the school’s LinkedIn page. You can message them on LinkedIn, or, if you prefer email, use a tool like Apollo to locate their contact information. Many colleges also have alumni directories that can help you identify good contacts.
Another way to build your network is to search by company, says executive coach Gassner Otting. List your dream companies, visit their LinkedIn pages and connect with people in roles that interest you. From there, she suggests requesting informational interviews.
“Everybody has 15 minutes to have a conversation with a young kid who’s trying to figure it out,” she says. “You’re not going to be a pain. Those people got to where they are because somebody took time to spend 15 minutes with them.”
During these interviews, she suggests, ask questions like: How did you get into this company? Tell me a little bit about some of the problems that you solve on a daily basis? What kinds of skill sets and characteristics do you look for in candidates?
“What that does is it gives you [a] network, it gives you knowledge,” she explains. “It puts you in the way of opportunity.”
Once connected, deciding what to write in the message can be tricky. Layfield recommends using the six point email method from the book “The 2-Hour Job Search” by Steve Dalton. Keep the message under 100 words, begin with a shared connection—like the same university—and ask for insight, not a job.
“They know what this is about already,” he says. “Just make sure we request that advice and insight and instead of that job assistance.”
Finally, he notes, make sure your ask ends in a question mark rather than a period, and define your request broadly and then narrowly. He cites this example: “I’m Tristan, a fellow Michigan alum of class of 2024. Would you have 15 minutes to chat about Red Hat? I’m trying to learn more about product management in the North Carolina tech space.”
The message expresses a broad interest in product management but narrows it to North Carolina. Layfield explains that this is a smart strategy because even if Red Hat isn’t hiring, the person may have insights about the local job landscape that could lead to other opportunities.
Finally, Gassner Otting says, do not hesitate to reach out and follow up. She has seen many young job seekers refrain from doing so due to fear of rejection. But reaching out demonstrates initiative, she says, which is an attractive quality in a candidate.
Increasing Visibility
LinkedIn has a posting feature just like other social media apps do. These posts can be a great way to share insights, accomplishments, and industry-relevant news that enhances your credibility. Mullinix recommends beginning by resharing content with your own commentary.
Have “a balanced strategy,” he says. Include “some original content, some original thoughts, some things that go against the grain.”
Layfield recommends engaging with posts through comments. Commenting is a low-risk way to enhance your profile visibility without the pressure of creating original posts. When you comment on someone’s post, your profile becomes visible to everyone in their network, he explains. Just remember to keep your comments professional, since this is LinkedIn.
“Just get started,” Mullinix advises. “As you work and [if] you’re consistent, the path for you will emerge.”
As recruiting season picks up, cultivating genuine connections, gaining industry insights and establishing a strong personal brand will be crucial. Use LinkedIn to showcase who you are and what you might bring to a professional environment. While the job search may feel overwhelming, investing in your online presence and network now will pay off for years. With a patient and proactive approach, you will be laying a solid foundation for a successful career.