5 Essential Linkedin Strategies for University Students & Young Entrepreneurs

Linkedin started out as a social networking platform for professionals and to aid recruitment. Today it serves the same core purposes, however has evolved in to a serious content platform with millions more users. 

What does this mean for Uni students and young entrepreneurs? It means you have a full global database of potential employers, clients or customers literally in your pocket. 

Now, we are all either trying to get the job we want or get more clients for our business. Therefore not taking advantage of the insane opportunity that Linkedin is offering would be just downright irresponsible. 

In the past 3 months Linkedin has generated me just under $7000 worth of business as well as an amazing job opportunity with very minimal effort. 

I’ve compiled 5 strategies you can apply that will supercharge your chances to get that job and/or grow your business. 

1. The Basics… 

This should be obvious but you would be surprised how many people just don’t fill in all of the information on their profile. The decision maker of your dream job or someone thinking about doing business with you is going to look at your profile. What do you want them to see? 

Remember to complete the following: A high quality professional close up headshot, relevant skills and any significant awards. 

2. What to put in your profile and what to leave out

Bio & “About” Sections”: 

Bio… For your bio make it short and concise. For uni students include your area of expertise within the industry you want a job. For business owners and consultants a good template to go by is “Position / Title, I help “specific niche or type of business” get “desired result” by “your method” without “business / niche struggle” 

About… Make this an elaboration of your bio. Include highlights of your professional experiences. What your specific interests are within your studies / business field, include some personal traits that show your personality and introduce you as a person (hobby’s, passions etc)

Experience: Less is more here. Bill Gates only has 2 listed. “Co-Founder at Microsoft” & “Co-chair at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation”. Include what matters to your world. Significant roles that you have worked in that you have drawn skills from and relevant experience to your industry. What I really mean is just to not include the 4 different coffee shops you worked at or your work experience in year 10. 

3. Encourage connections & endorsements with your friends, colleagues, co-workers and clients 

500+ connections: On a Linkedin profile it shows how many connections you have up until 500. Having 500 connections is one of those “social proof” things that strengthens your profile and makes you look more credible. Therefore take the opportunity to add people on Linkedin from your personal or professional network when it is natural. However it can be hard to reach this number so don’t feel bad about sending a bunch of people requests within your relevant niche / industry to get there. 

Ask for Endorsements: On your Linkedin profile people can endorse your listed skills. This is just another measure of credibility which shows how many other people agree “yes you have this skill”. For uni students, every group assignment is a chance to add someone on Linkedin and endorse each other. For business owners, every client or co worker even asking connections that are in the same business. 

4. Engaging with people before reaching out (Social Selling) 

Now that you have a beautiful and credible profile for employers and new clients to look at... How do you get them to actually consider you over the other 645 million Linkedin users?

It’s really quite simple… 

Engage with people’s content that matter to your world and actually care. 

Do exactly THIS: 

1. Get a list of 10-20-50 people who could be an employer or new business opportunity

2. Search topics that are relevant to your world and collect 10-20 articles or pieces of content that are trending from people in your industry / niche 

3. Read the article then… leave the best comment in the comments section and use all the attention of the article authors audience by leaving a meaningful thought in the comments

Doing this over a period of time will dramatically increase your impact and relevance within your network. You will build real connections and make real impressions on the people that will make a difference to your career.

Most people that comment are very surface level and never really show any genuine insight or interest from your perspective. It isn’t really that hard to stand it if you just make an effort and spend a little more time doing something like this where no one else would.

5. What do I say when I send that message 

Never be asking for anything or selling in your first message. Linkedin inboxes are flooded with cold outreach messages that are selling and unpersonalised. If you don’t do anything to stand out you will be simply ignored and never get the time of day. 

Standing out is easy. Its called not selling off the bat, not asking for anything and just starting a conversation that is genuine and contextual to the personal you’re talking to’s world. 

I hope this gives you some clarity on where to start and how to improve your Linkedin in game. If you do all of these things you will be seriously be ahead of so many people.