Do you lay awake at night, pondering your future and wondering how you will possibly make yourself marketable to employers? Don’t lose sleep over it. The key to career growth is to build a compelling resume/online profile and to leverage the relationships you’re forming at Pitt and beyond. Here are six simple steps to leverage LinkedIn to put yourself on the pathway to career success.

Get the Most out of LinkedIn

Your LinkedIn profile should be more than just an account that you update once a year. It’s your digital identity that you can market to the professional world! Think of your LinkedIn profile as your professional resume, where you showcase your education, achievements, interests, and work experience. It’s also how you begin to develop your networking circle and connect with people who are hiring. About 77% of recruiters regularly use LinkedIn, and a recent study found that 122 million people received an interview through LinkedIn, with 35.5 million getting hired by a person they connected with on the site. So yeah – using LinkedIn matters.

Step 1: Join LinkedIn

This is easiest part! Just go to linkedin.com and create a free account. Use an email address that you check frequently and that you’ll have access to for a long time — like your Pitt email address, which remains yours even after you graduate.

Step 2: Create a Compelling Headline

Your headline should be more than just your current or desired job title. It should tell someone who you are. Make it pop. Instead of using “Communications Specialist,” consider something like “Expert at Making People Care About What You Do.”

Step 3: Pick the Perfect Profile Picture

First impressions do matter, and your profile picture is what employers will see first. So, ditch that grainy picture that you cropped out of your family beach photo and opt for a professional headshot. This doesn’t mean you need a professional photographer. Ask a friend or family member take photos of you in front of a neutral background or in a nice location (e.g., in front of the Cathedral of Learning or on Mt. Washington overlooking the city). Wear business casual (or an industry appropriate outfit, like a lab coat or scrubs) and give a professional, confident pose. Take 5-10 snaps to be sure you get a great shot.

Step 4: Craft a Captivating Summary

Under your LinkedIn profile, you can write a summary about yourself. This is your pitch to potential employers, so make sure it’s strong! Be original, highlighting your strengths and passions to leave a lasting impression. Show them what you bring to the table.

Step 5: Take Some LinkedIn Courses

Don’t have much experience to showcase on your profile? Don’t let that keep you from expanding your horizons. LinkedIn Learning courses are a powerful tool for building expertise in areas you may be lacking in or that employers prize. They also allow you to learn about topics that interest you.

Whether it be learning paths like “Introduction to Microsoft 365” or “Python for Non-Programmers,” or classes on project management, communications skills, or meeting management, the possibilities are endless. Take these courses for free while you’re at Pitt. Then connect your LinkedIn Learning account to your LinkedIn profile, where they are sure to impress employers.

Step 6: Connect, Connect, Connect!

So, your profile looks spot on and you’re ready to impress your professional audience. But you only have 2 connections, one being that kid you haven’t talked to since high school and the other ... your aunt? Yeah, let’s fix that … LinkedIn is all about connections. Whether they be professors, Pitt students and alumni, employers, or professionals in your field, these connections can open doors.

Search for people you have met first (fellow students in your major, instructors, current or former employers, etc.). Then branch out by connecting with people they know (mutual connections). Finally, search for people at places you’d love to work or with career interests in the field you are pursuing. Click “Connect” and introduce yourself!

But remember: Connecting with someone is not enough. You actually have to build relationships. Your professors are more than just educators; they’ve valuable mentors who can be powerful allies for your next step. So go to office hours, shoot your professor a direct message on Canvas, and sit at the front of the classroom. Simply staying after class to chat with your professor will help them notice your passion and get to know you as a person.

When you get a job or internship, especially in the career area where you hope to work, expand your circles outward and upward beyond your supervisor. Ask to join or assist a project team and sit in on meetings. Speak to coworkers and the leadership team about their careers. Ask to be given responsibility for things that leverage your specific interests and strengths. Jobs and internships shouldn’t just be a line on your LinkedIn profile. They should be steppingstones to your goals!

Go Forth and Grow Your Career

Whether you’re aiming for grad school or a professional career, make the most of the resources available to you. LinkedIn is your not-so-secret weapon to marketing yourself. Give your profile a much-needed update and start connecting. Soon enough, you’ll be on your way toward academic and professional excellence! Kiss those sleepless nights goodbye.

• By Haree Lim, Pitt IT Student Blogger