Why should networking wait until college if you could easily start standing out now?

LinkedIn is an online service that allows people to create a professional network. This assists people with job searches and helps bosses fill positions. Students who create this network early have a head start with getting connected with people and are exposed to various careers. This benefits students in college and beyond. 

Creating your network can take time, so the sooner you start, the more connected you will be by the time you start looking for jobs. Additionally, if you learn how to navigate it now, you won’t have to scramble later to create your profile or add your work and volunteer experience. 

Another benefit of LinkedIn is you can gain more knowledge about different careers because you can see what other people post. This allows you to see real-world examples of what people are doing in their jobs, so you can figure out fields you are interested in, and what you can potentially do coming out of college.

Because LinkedIn is new for many students, there are some aspects that are good to know before jumping right in. At first, LinkedIn may seem similar to various social media apps, but it is important not to treat it like social media. Do not put anything unprofessional on LinkedIn that could cause people to view you in a negative way, because your future boss could see it. Additionally, depending on if a person is paying for extra features on LinkedIn, they can see who views their profile, so it is not recommended to click on random people’s profiles unless you are looking to connect with them or expand your network. In your profile, there are sections where you can include volunteer and work experience and add skills that associate with these experiences. Adding these things now is helpful, because certain details may become hazy over time.

Ultimately, LinkedIn is a very useful and popular service, so creating your account and adding to your profile now will give you a good foundation for when you are looking for internships or jobs in the future.