LinkedIn

The header is a short statement that describes you as a professional. Headers can help bring people to your profile by clearly and succinctly conveying information. Here are some ideas for what to put in your header:

• What are three words to describe you? (Intern, Student, Finance Professional, etc.)
• What roles do you fill? (Marketing and Communications Intern at __)
• What is your career objective? (Transforming Brands by Using Social Media; Helping Companies Achieve Sustainable Financial Growth)

Writing a strong summary helps potential employers see what motivates you and what makes you stand out. Strong summaries let the reader know your core values and why you are interested in your current career path. Consider addressing the following questions in your summary:

• What are your professional and personal strengths?
• What do you value? What brings you joy or gets you excited?
• What experiences had the greatest impact on your career choices?
• What do you do at AU? (Graduation Month/Year, Clubs, Volunteer, Leadership, Organizations)
• Where do you see your career going?
• Do you have any certifications? Additional credentials (these should be relevant to the industry you are pursuing)?
• What are you interested in(fields, outside interests, industry, within a field)?

• Add a professional profile picture (headshot – in professional wear, with light background).
• List your work experience (internship, volunteer experience, on-campus involvement).
• Add your education as: American University – Kogod School of Business
• Include industry-relevant keywords as recruiters sometimes search keywords.
• Include technical skills and languages.
• Upload your LinkedIn profile to Quinncia to receive feedback and recommendations.

• Form Connections: Connect with faculty, peers, past employers, and connections you make at events such as conferences.
• Join a Group: Gain industry insight by joining and expand your network by joining a group. (Example: American University, Kogod School of Business | Alumni Group)
• Post: Share your professional accomplishments, lessons learned from conferences, interesting insights, and your (non-political) take on your industry of interest or the news. This will help build your brand with your connections.
• Alumni Outreach: Reach out to alumni from your alma mater (your high school, undergrad [for grad students], or from AU).
• Follow Companies: Follow companies of interest for news and current events as well as job postings and career program postings. Follow talent acquisition LinkedIn accounts as well as the main company account when relevant.
• Recommendations: Add color to your profile by receiving recommendations. People might also be more willing to write recommendations when you write them one as well.
• Leverage LinkedIn Messenger: Use this tool to reach out to alumni with tailored messages referencing your interest in their projects, work experience, skills or knowledge. Be specific!