After College Experience (ACE)
Using Linkedin for Networking
Contact After College Experience (ACE)After College Experience (ACE)
Welcome to the After College Experience (ACE). Whether you’re a senior getting ready to transition into the real world or a young graduate embarking on a new career, we can help. The ACE website acts as a roadmap to help tackle questions on essential life skills. Not sure about how to do something? Need to connect with an expert? This is the place.
Using Linkedin for Networking
Having a professional presence on LinkedIn can be a great way for you to start working towards your career goals now. Here are a few tips for using LinkedIn and how best to leverage the platform for networking:
BRAND YOURSELF
Create a professional brand for yourself by building a strong profile and using an
appropriate picture. Your profile can be similar to your resume in many ways, and
should be updated as you continue to get involved with new
opportunities. Members with complete profiles are 40x more likely to receive opportunities
through LinkedIn.
EXPERIENCE IS KEY
You’re more experienced than you think. Think broadly about all your experience, including summer jobs, unpaid internships, volunteer work, and student organizations. You never know what might catch someone’s eye.
CONNECT WITH PEOPLE YOU ALREADY KNOW
Develop your network by connecting with people you already know. Use your inbox. Networking doesn’t mean reaching out cold to strangers. Start building your LinkedIn network by uploading your online address book (from your email account) and connecting to people you know and trust.
CONNECT WITH WCU ALUMNI
LinkedIn Groups can help you form new connections. Search WCU alumni at linkedin.com/alumni to see what others have done with your major and where they are currently working.
ACTIVELY ENGAGE
Update your status early and often. Networking isn’t just about who you know; it’s about who knows you. Stay on your network’s radar by updating your LinkedIn status regularly – what you're reading, working on, and more.
MAKE THE CONNECTION IRL
Maintain professionalism and use proper etiquette at all times. Personalize and tailor your messages when contacting individuals. As a student, don’t ask professional contacts for a job. Instead, ask for a brief phone conversation to seek their job search advice. Alumni, family friends, and industry leaders are often willing to do so.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Stay up-to-date and make the most of LinkedIn by reviewing the resources section on their website: students.linkedin.com.