As social media options continue to expand, LinkedIn also continues to grow in popularity for students at Oklahoma Christian University.
According to data from the Society of Human Resource Management, more than 90 percent of recruiters rely on LinkedIn to find job candidates. TopResume said LinkedIn profiles are searchable on Google and human resources departments actively look for profiles matching their requirements.
TopResume said LinkedIn can be more beneficial than a resume because it creates a space for personal details such as, hobbies, school clubs and non-work certifications, which interviewers can use to start conversation.
Everyone should have a LinkedIn account, according to The Balance, and be active on it at least twice a year. For many hiring managers, the first step after receiving a resume is to look up the candidate on LinkedIn.
“Recruiters and hiring managers also use LinkedIn to search for candidates, so if you do not have a presence on the site, you won’t come up during searches,” the website said. “Having a LinkedIn account also means that you can use the site to research companies, interviewers, recruiters and hiring managers—this is helpful before submitting applications and showing up to interviews.”
However, TopResume said because LinkedIn profiles are searchable, users should not include personally descriptive words on LinkedIn profiles. Instead, the website suggests using industry words when describing accomplishments and job history in order to be more relevant in searches.
Time said users should list their education in order to appear up to 17 times more often in searches, and list the location where they want to work so they appear in up to 23 times more searches.
Oklahoma Christian University senior Hannah Baxter said she made a LinkedIn account when she was a sophomore, because she had learned a little bit more about her major and where she wanted her career to go.
“I made a LinkedIn after attending Oklahoma Christian’s CBA Bootcamp where new business students had the chance to learn all about their major and get tips and tricks from older students and professors,” Baxter said. “During the boot camp, they really stressed the importance of getting connected online, and since I’m a marketing major, I knew I had to try it out.”
However, not all Oklahoma Christian students are active on LinkedIn. Sophomore Emily Fishler said she had to make a profile for a class last year, but has rarely used the account since. LinkedIn offers account holders a free version and a premium version, with costs starting at $30 monthly.
“I used the free version, because I’m in college,” Fishler said. “I didn’t even know there was a premium one.”
Baxter said she uses both the free and the premium capabilities on LinkedIn. Her free account has enabled her to make many connections, and she said users can get a lot out of LinkedIn without a premium account.
“I use premium when I’m actively seeking a job, because it really helps you see how you stack up to the competition and gives you the ability to connect with people that you might not have been able to without a connection,” Baxter said. “It’s nice to have premium if you can afford it.”
According to Baxter, she is on LinkedIn multiple times daily to check out job listings, apply for jobs and connect with new people. She said the more she is on the website, the more updated she keeps her profile and the more she seeks out jobs and contacts.
“LinkedIn has been a great tool in my job search,” Baxter said. “The amount of effort you put into your LinkedIn account will get you the results you want if you’re willing to really go after it by messaging people and applying.”
Baxter said potential employers and recruiters have contacted her multiple times. Although she said she has never accepted a position, she has received several offers in the past year and has interviewed at many businesses.
“In fact, I was recently offered an internship on LinkedIn because I happened to add an old family friend who works in my field of study,” Baxter said. “If I didn’t have a LinkedIn account, I probably wouldn’t have been given the opportunity to be offered the position and create a contact for future professional development.”
According to Baxter, LinkedIn is one of the most valuable tools any college student seeking employment can use. She said she plans on using it after she graduates and will continue to add connections through her jobs.
“I always tell my friends to get on LinkedIn, and I’ve even made accounts for people who were unsure of how to go about doing it,” Baxter said. “Everyone should be on LinkedIn—it’s not just for people in business—you can find just about any profession and make connections. You really never know who could one day help you get a job, and it doesn’t hurt to add anyone if you have had positive experiences working with them.”
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