Don't worry; we got you! Here are five steps to creating a LinkedIn profile as a student:

1. Upload a LinkedIn profile picture

It may be tempting to use one of your best selfies as your LinkedIn profile picture, but prospective employers may find this unprofessional.

Rather have someone take a quality headshot of you (from the shoulders up) with an appropriate background. This can be anything from a blank wall, canvas or even in the park — provided it looks professional.

With that said, it's a good idea to express your personality in your photo and align that with the job you're looking for. For example, if you want to go into book publishing, you might take a snapshot of yourself embracing reading a book.

Don't forget to dress professionally. If your line of work calls for it, be sure to wear your clothing in line with your career (something you'd wear to an interview).

2. Insert your banner for LinkedIn

What's cool about LinkedIn is that the social media platform allows you to insert your own banner. What's the point of a banner on LinkedIn?

Well, this is basically a space for you to showcase who you are. Suppose you decide to keep your profile picture strictly professional. In that case, this can be the space where you can be a bit more 'creative' or 'expressive' and highlight your:
  • interests
  • hobbies, or
  • personality.

If you're stuck on what images to use, Canva is an excellent tool that has free LinkedIn banner templates that you can use to:
  • create
  • download, and
  • upload.

3. Create a professional headline for LinkedIn

Your headline for LinkedIn is a small snippet of information that describes exactly what you do in 220 characters or less. It's the first thing that people are going to read before they even click on your profile, which is why it's essential to create a headline that is eye-catching and relevant to what you do.

For example, if you studied to be a graphic designer, your headline might look something like this:

Student | Graduate | Diploma in Media and Graphic Design | Damelin

Suppose you use this method of writing a headline. In that case, you're providing your future employer with all the information they need regarding your qualifications and the career path you'd like to head into.

For more tips on creating a LinkedIn headline as a student, check out this video on YouTube.

4. Write a Professional LinkedIn Summary

Now, you may be wondering — what exactly do we mean by 'LinkedIn summary'? Well, your LinkedIn summary is the 'About' section of your LinkedIn profile.

A LinkedIn summary is generally a paragraph of three to five paragraphs that include the following information:

  • your qualifications
  • your skills
  • any previous work experience you have
  • your achievements, and
  • important information you'd like to share


For the last bullet point, you may want to include why you pursued your qualification or what makes you stand out from other candidates. Why should employers hire you?

A good example of a LinkedIn summary can be found below:

Hi, my name is (your full name) and I am completing my undergraduate degree in English Literature at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. After finishing my Bachelor of Arts in English, I am hoping to pursue a career in Journalism, as writing has always been a great passion of mine.

This year, my experience as the writer at our university newspaper has taught me much about editing, writing, proofreading and social media. After I graduate, my dream is to be an investigative journalist at one of the top publishers in South Africa.

5. Ask for LinkedIn recommendations

A great way to boost your LinkedIn profile and draw the attention of recruiters is to ask for LinkedIn recommendations. This can be from some of your college or university professors or even your previous employers (if you were working part-time).

Avoid asking for LinkedIn recommendations from friends or family, as this may seem unprofessional or biased, and recruiters will not accept your recommendation.

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