Professional Networking for Undergraduates

Mentioning LinkedIn to my first-year undergraduate students often elicits blank looks, as if they have not heard of the site. While highly active on social networking sites such as Facebook and Instagram, few are active on LinkedIn. Encouraging university students to start a presence on a professional networking site such as LinkedIn early in their higher education is important. The content of a LinkedIn profile, for example, reflects what the average employer or recruiter seeks in a potential job applicant. In that sense, the site is very educational. For those serious about job hunting or successful future careers, LinkedIn should not be left till after graduation. The site demonstrates what is important beyond academic qualifications and work experience: skills of different types – professional, technical, and interpersonal; volunteering; memberships and interest in companies, groups, publications, and schools; and causes, such as education and the environment. LinkedIn also allows users to endorse each other on skills as well as to solicit recommendations from those who can attest to their work. After learning how to manage their profile settings, users may also receive job ad notifications and apply for jobs through the site, indicating preferences for in-person, online, or blended jobs, and full-time versus part-time work.

By allowing students to network with others, including their teachers, LinkedIn can be a solid launch pad for students’ job hunting. On the other hand, it may be wise for people early in their careers not to limit their networking efforts to LinkedIn. There are online alternatives, including niche focused ones; it may be advisable for certain categories of students, particularly highly specialized ones, to consider simultaneous professional presence on at least one other such site. Here is a brief list:

·       AngelList, for startups

·       Behance, for creative people such as artists and designers to show their work

·       GitHub, for developers

·       Glassdoor, where workers may leave anonymous reviews about their companies, helping others gain a better picture of what they could be in for

·       Goodwall, for young job seekers to showcase their skills and find internships, jobs, volunteer opportunities and courses

·       Indeed, which is less social than LinkedIn and connects employers with applicants by video

·       Jobcase, for jobseekers in technology

·       Meetup, which allows people to find and join groups of interest based on location. It encourages in-person meetings while also allowing for online ones.

·       Network After Work, for after-office events in various cities

·       ResearchGate, for academics and researchers to connect and engage in scientific conversation

Ultimately, it is useful for students to be dexterous in establishing and enhancing their online presence, whether for job searching or career networking. However, apparently, some networking sites such as Shapr blend the social aspect so much with the professional that they may even be mistaken for dating apps. User beware!