LinkedIn Students – 6 Reasons to Download the New App

April 26, 2016

Ah, it is that time of year when the weather becomes consistently warm, flowers are blooming, soon-to-be college graduates are finishing their theses, frantically searching for a post-college job, anxiously awaiting their start in the real-world, and wondering how many times they will be asked, “What are you going to do once you graduate?”

If you don’t have an answer to that question and don’t have a LinkedIn profile, create one! It is important to build out your profile (with a good picture) since a majority of the people receiving your resume will look at your LinkedIn profile. Then download LinkedIn Students and begin your job search! Side note: as you are using LinkedIn Students, be sure you are also growing your network and establishing a presence on LinkedIn as the app uses your profile and network.

I took a look at LinkedIn Students and highly recommend it for all soon-to-be college graduates. My first thought was, “Seriously, where was this app when I was graduating?!”

There are plenty of great websites to use when searching for a first job, however, I think what differentiates LinkedIn Students is its connection to and integration of your network on LinkedIn. Other job search websites do not pull information such as alumni career information; they simply feed you postings based on your keywords.

Here are 6 Reasons to download LinkedIn’s “LinkedIn Students” today:

1. By simply confirming your school, major, and expected graduation year is correct, (the information is pulled from LinkedIn) you now have access to an awesome amount of information related to currently open roles at various companies, what that role entails and salary information, roles alumni within your major, and much, much more.
2. You initially receive five ideas:

• A role to consider
• An article to read
• A company that may be a good fit
• Careers of fellow alumni
• A job to consider

LinkedIn Students uses your profile and network to give meaning and context to help you with your search, based upon careers of alumni, or openings within companies you follow on LinkedIn. The articles are to enhance your searching techniques, prepare you for interviews, and prepare you for the working world, overall.

3. Everyone loves extra credit! Extra credit contains a sponsored video from a large corporation as well as the ability to provide feedback about the app, and the ability to personalize your recommendations. You may not go to school in the same area in which you would like to live and work once you graduate, so add as many locations as necessary. Once you have gone through your first five ideas and the extra credit, clicking “See more ideas now” will generate five new ideas and extra credit.

4. There are many pathways, if you will, to access the information you are seeking. I started at the company called “Kind” and within a few minutes found myself at Delta Air Lines as a flight crew member. Go through each section individually to ensure you don’t miss anything.

5. The must-use star feature allows and aids in searching each section individually as tapping the star under “Ideas” helps LinkedIn Students provide you with similar ideas based upon what you save. When you tap the star for a company or person, you will automatically follow them and see their updates in LinkedIn. I highly recommend saving any companies you are interested in as you can stay up to date and be knowledgeable about them, what they are doing, and how the industry works.

6. Overall, this is a great app for the real-world bound college students. It is so detailed and thorough. Having the ability to see who you know holds a specific role is not only reassuring but provides you with the opportunity to reach out to them and find out more information about what they do and what they enjoy about the role.

I wish LinkedIn Students was available when I graduated. It is super simple to use, has a clean interface, and lets you peruse or dive deep, depending on what you need to do and learn. I can imagine it becoming quite inviting, especially as graduation dates near, but don’t take your eyes off of finals, senior week and graduation. …Ahhh, the last weeks of college life…so sweet.

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