These moments as a student are precious and the worst thing you can do at uni is rush your way through without savouring the experience. But there are plenty of things you can do alongside your studies to help you when the time comes to leave university. One of the easiest things on that list is creating a LinkedIn profile. Not convinced yet? Here are four reasons you should consider using LinkedIn.

1)    Showcase your talent.

Do you have a side hustle? Maybe you’re a photographer, have a small business or a blog? Now’s the time to shout about it! You can showcase your website on your LinkedIn profile and give yourself another method to increase traffic. It shows employers that you’re a multi-faceted individual, and not just a number on a screen, when you apply for jobs.

2)    Networking.

“Networking” is a buzzword that often gets dropped in places without much consequence, but on LinkedIn, you can only connect with others who share things with you, such as workplace and educational institution. Adding this makes it easier to verify who you are and also, if your connections have industry connections, it gives you a perfect way in!

3)    Endorsements.

One of the best features of LinkedIn is the endorsements. Here, you can get your peers, colleagues or even professors, to give you written recommendations, which then appear on your profile. It gives you credibility as a job candidate and other people are better at finding skills and qualities in you that you didn’t know you had!

4)    Industry insight.

Finally, by being able to view employer profiles on LinkedIn, you can gain some insight into your preferred industry. Find out what kind of people they look for and even see who they have hired or see the person who could be hiring you in the future!

Whatever your industry, it’s important to get out there and let employers know who you are. If you’re struggling with a place to start, join our Education Officer, Tom, at his LinkedIn Workshop. Good luck!