People who don’t find LinkedIn interesting or useful don’t properly utilize it. LinkedIn has many resources Texas State students should take advantage of.
With graduation in the near future, it is vital for seniors to establish a LinkedIn presence. However, it is just as important for underclassmen to ramp up their LinkedIn usage, as internships for 2025 are starting to open applications.
One of the main focuses of LinkedIn is assisting in job searching. Because of this, many students don’t utilize the app until they are actively seeking a job. However, the sooner students start using LinkedIn, the more benefits they can receive.
LinkedIn can help students solidify their career choices. The app has a feature where students can look up Texas State alumni in their desired field and connect. Through reaching out to these alumni connections, students can learn more about what it is like to work in their desired jobs.
Ross Wood, associate director of Career Services, said there are many past alumni that current students can easily reach out to via LinkedIn for an informational interview regarding their current jobs.
“We have 188,000 Bobcats accessible to us in a few clicks,” Wood said. “Touch base with a fellow Bobcat who has been in the same seat you’ve been in. Pick their brain a little bit and see how you could be successful someday too.”
In addition to this, the platform also offers the LinkedIn Career Explorer. This tool allows users to compare and contrast the skills used between different jobs, this is especially useful when breaking into the professional realm.
Students can also utilize a variety of courses taught by industry experts on LinkedIn Learning, which current Texas State students have free access to when using their student accounts. This is a great benefit for students because LinkedIn Learning subscriptions can cost $239.88 per year.
According to the LinkedIn Learning website, there are over 23,400 courses on the platform ranging from leadership skills, artificial intelligence and design. Once a course is completed, students are able to upload a certificate that bolsters their LinkedIn profile.
Lastly, LinkedIn helps students develop their professional brand. LinkedIn is more tailored to the professional sphere, but it doesn’t mean students can’t post about their passion projects.
Wood said students should be posting on LinkedIn in order to develop professionally. A LinkedIn profile isn’t just a copy and paste of a resume, rather, it gives employers insight into the user’s career aspirations and interests.
“The more you’re active on LinkedIn, the higher you come up on those searches [for] an employer,” Wood said. “You’re kind of keeping your thumb on the heartbeat of what’s happening out there that increases your SEO (search engine optimization).”
All things considered, establishing a presence on LinkedIn is beneficial for students, as it gives them a leg up once they graduate and begin pursuing professional opportunities.
-Madison Green is a psychology and advertising senior
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