Let's be real, college is stressful enough without having the added stress of thinking about your future career. But here’s the truth: if you start using LinkedIn the right way during college, you’ll thank yourself later and have a major advantage over students who started later.
Here are five fun and practical ways to start using LinkedIn today to better your chances at landing your dream career – plus a bonus tip at the end!
1. Cold Messaging: The Secret Career Hack
Networking isn’t just for people in suits – it’s for college students too! College is the perfect time to start building connections and learning from others. Don’t be afraid to reach out to professors, guest speakers or professionals in your dream field. Most are happy to help students who approach them thoughtfully. Focus on people with shared interests – DECA alumni, people from your hometown or university alumni. Use LinkedIn’s keyword filter to find people with similar interests.
Here’s a template for a coffee chat request to a college alumnus:
Hi [Recipient Name],
I'm [Your Name], a [Your College] junior majoring in [Your Major]. I noticed you're a [Your College] alumni at [Company Name]. I aspire to enter [Industry Name] at [Company Name], and I’d love to connect. Is it possible to have a quick coffee chat at your convenience this week or next?
Your reply means a lot.
[Your Name]
2. Job Search Made Simple
So, you’re ready to find that dream internship, but don’t know where to start? LinkedIn will be your best friend! Use the “jobs” tab and type in your internship title (ex: Finance Internship) and the location (ex: Houston, TX).
Even better, LinkedIn shows you how many people have applied and when the job was posted. That way, you’re not wasting time applying to something already filled. You can also add filters for remote vs. in-person, full-time vs. part-time, type of industry and so much more!
3. Let LinkedIn Do What Your Resume Can’t
Let’s face it, our resumes are limited. You’ve only got one page (usually), and oftentimes you must cut out cool projects or extra details about your internship experience. Well, that’s where LinkedIn comes to the rescue! Think of it as an expanded version of your resume.
Add everything from tools you learned and projects you worked on to presentations you gave and links to any online material you created. Break it all down into bullet points for easy reading. Your colleagues and mentors can also endorse your skills and experience to boost your credibility. It’s a great way to show the “full picture” of your internship without limits.
4. Learn about Companies
Researching the company makes you look prepared and more interested before you go into an interview or conversation with a professional. Go beyond the basics.
Everyone looks at the company’s mission and products, but not everyone checks their LinkedIn posts. LinkedIn posts give you an inside peek into what the company does day-to-day. Did the company volunteer recently? That’s a great conversation point in an interview and shows you care about corporate social responsibility. Plus, company pages usually list employees, making sending cold messages and adding connections easier.
5. Learn the Background to Your Dream Career
Ever wonder how someone became a CEO, investment banker or entrepreneur? Good news, LinkedIn has you covered! Browsing through profiles on LinkedIn is not a bad thing, but rather a key skill to learn. Search for people in industries you’re interested in, and take notes on their internships, their education path and if they participated in other extracurriculars.
Seeing real-world paths can give you a better idea of how to reach the same goals or even help you decide if that career is the right fit for you. It all starts with LinkedIn.
Bonus Tip: You’re Never “Too Inexperienced” to Start
Everyone starts somewhere. Elliott Hill, CEO of Nike, started as an intern in 1988 and worked his way to the top by 2025. Don’t wait to start a LinkedIn until you have the “proper” experience; there’s no such thing. Your DECA experience, student leadership and even volunteering can go on LinkedIn. The trick is to start. As you grow, your experience will grow with you, and one day, what began as a “first experience” will become your ultimate dream – like Elliott Hill.
So, go on. Send that cold message. Add that experience. Start scrolling through job listings. If you use these tips, you’ll be a standout student and launchpad yourself and your career.
