Being a student of 21st century is not an easy task for any individual. A student of this era needs to be smart, progressive, a risk-taker and dynamic. This is the age of Social Media where people need to compete not only in the real world but in the virtual world too. A student needs to have a strong presence in the social media for a better shape of the career. According to a research around 70%of employers have been rejecting a candidate because of the information they found about them on the Social Media websites and almost 85% of employers say that a positive online reputation influences their hiring decision.
And when it comes to a social media platform which benefits students in this competitive world “LinkedIn” is no need of any introduction. With the access of around 430 million users, LinkedIn provides a better opportunity to people to connect with “Largest Professional Network” in the world. LinkedIn is the platform which provides users to clearly define their skills and experience. It helps in building your own brand and helps you to showcase your expertise at the global stage. It gives an opportunity to connect to various employers which helps you to influence them with your skills.
For college students LinkedIn is a platform from where they can reach to new heights. LinkedIn enables students to access a world of endless opportunities and advances them to a new world of professional experience. There are various reasons which convince every student to show his presence in the world of LinkedIn and some of them are explained below:-
Getting Job Email Alerts:-
As soon as you create your professional profile on LinkedIn, you get an option of Email registration for Job alerts and once you have done with registration of Email. Then you shall receive Emails regarding their recommended jobs. Then you will find a notification as soon as you log into your accounts. It enables employers to connect with right candidates in a quick reaction of time.
Entry into Professional World:-
For every student there is dream to make his/her marks in their respective field. LinkedIn enables students to connect with millions of professionals of their field and their department. It helps students to access professional world and tightens the professional approach of experts. Even you can find their co-workers, colleagues, classmates and family members on LinkedIn. You can access help and take advice from all these people.
Company Research:-
LinkedIn enables the users to access all the reliable information about the company. Job seekers and college students can check out the pages of targeted employers and they can research about their whereabouts, hiring process and requirements of people in their organisation. It helps you in the growth of employability and keeps students ahead in their competitions.
Recommendations:-
LinkedIn helps students to get recommendations from other people to increase their employability which affects the employers mind and chances of recruiting people increases many folds. College students are benefitted in large numbers by recommendations of their colleagues, teachers, employers, etc. LinkedIn helps people to access to build their connections in the professional world and which helps them later in getting jobs.
Makes easier for employers to target good employees:-
As 21st century is in progress, business world has became more efficient and quicker in their mode of action. Social Media is playing a vital role in emergence of new talents in corporate world. LinkedIn helps students to catch the eyes of employers with in short duration of time. A person with an effective presence on LinkedIn with a good profile has better chances to be hired by employers instead of someone who doesn’t has a presence in Social Media platforms like LinkedIn.
Collaborations with other students:-
New age students don’t face any boundaries and limitations within their work and learnings. There are no such boundaries for them. They can learn effectively and more efficiently from each other with LinkedIn. They can share information with each other, can help each other in their tasks. They can show their research work to others which will help other students too. Making projects with each other across boundaries became common. Students are working on same projects from sitting in different countries in their respective homes.
Landing International Jobs:-
As we have discussed above, LinkedIn helps its users to access International recognition. Many International employers are looking for employees who have strong presence in Social World like LinkedIn. A student who is interested in working overseas can be benefitted with Social Media Networking which attracts employers to pick those candidates who are connected with them.
As we have pointed out many good aspects of LinkedIn for college students but all these points are not only one which attract students to have a LinkedIn profile there are many other reasons too.
LinkedIn is an ocean of knowledge and opportunities now it is up to students how much they can gain from this.
Shubham Kumar
Writer – DU Times
