Whether you’re an experienced recruiter or a budding professional, LinkedIn is a vital tool in the hiring process. Read on to learn how you can take your LinkedIn profile to the next level.

Curating your profile
A quick scroll through your profile is all someone needs to get a first impression of you. You want the initial impression to grab their attention and make them want to learn more. For job seekers, that means creating a unique profile that is as true to you as possible. Share the experiences and skills you’ve worked hard to earn. Include the big research project you worked on or the study you helped conduct with its results. This is all valuable information for your expanding LinkedIn profile.

Networking on LinkedIn
When you think of networking, you might imagine a typical mixer or crowded career fair. That kind of offline networking is valuable, but your online networking presence is just as important.

You might stumble upon interesting people by looking through connections of your current LinkedIn contacts, or by looking through employees at a particular company or organization. If you find someone who has the experience that you’re looking for, don’t be afraid to reach out. What previous experience and positions have they held that led them to where they are now, and how can you get there?  InMail is a great avenue to chat one-on-one with someone you might want to learn more about. Keep your messages short and professional, and refer to this guide for InMail etiquette and best practices.

Organize
Instead of letting your LinkedIn tabs add up, create an external spreadsheet to keep everything organized. Include the name of the company and position, a link to the job posting, and any application deadlines. Keep a notes section for each job to remember your thoughts on the benefits, salary, general impressions you got about the organization’s culture, and more. Storing all of this information in one central place will be a helpful resource when you want to look at all your job options from a top-down view.

Stay active
Your LinkedIn profile is a living document, so be sure to keep it current. In your life and career, you’ll continue to grow, learn new skills, work on new projects, and meet new people. Make sure your LinkedIn reflects your experiences, and let it grow with you and your career in mathematics!