When Looking at LinkedIn is Practically Your Job: A Career Services Specialist's Take on LinkedDay at 2U!

When the 2U Communications team sent an all staff email announcing that LinkedIn was coming to HQ to take headshots and offer 1:1 LinkedIn profile reviews for employees, I couldn’t register fast enough! As a Career Services Specialist at 2U, LinkedIn is the #1 tool I use with my students to help them grow their networks, explore companies and organizations, and learn about new job opportunities. How could I resist a day of learning more about the platform first-hand from LinkedIn staff??

Below are four takeaways from LinkedIn Day that I’ve found also apply to a job search and crafting a meaningful career path:

1. Be early

2U told us the registration line in the lobby would open at 9AM. I was downstairs by 9:05 after working out in 2U’s gym and the line was already at least 40 people deep! So much for being an early bird. But the line moved quickly and before I knew it I had my breakfast and headshot vouchers in hand and a 2UxLinkedIn t-shirt slung over my shoulder. They said headshots would be on a first come, first served basis so I wanted to make sure I got there in time!

Career takeaway: Don’t wait until the last minute! Start your job search early (some say you should always be passively looking!) and get your resume in shape before you need it to apply for that next position.

2. Come hungry

2U generously offered a free breakfast to the 2Utes who registered for LinkedIn Day. While the line was even longer than the one for registration, there were bagels, fresh fruit, and flaky pastries to be consumed and they weren’t going to consume themselves! I took the opportunity to get to know a new (to me) colleague standing in front of me who was wearing a college jacket from her alma mater, which is near the town where I grew up. We struck up a great conversation about the area and our roles at 2U. What an unexpected surprise!

Career takeaway: Networking doesn’t only happen at schmoozy happy hours - it can happen in the breakfast line at a company event, or on your way up the elevator (hey there, elevator pitch). And you don’t have to focus all your networking energy on those in the C-suite. Horizontal networking can work wonders for your career (and your friendship circle)!

3. Dress the part

2U has a jeans dress code. Let’s just say that when a colleague wears a blazer or, gasp, a suit - you can bet they have an external meeting, or that they’re going to be in a video call. LinkedIn Day meant everyone dug out their statement necklaces and dusted off their suits - the hair was fluffy and the beards looked trim! While I will never propose we have a more formal dress code around here, it was fun to play dress up for the day and see what folks wore when they worked in other jobs that required more formal attire.

Career takeaway: Dressing for the job you want at 2U sometimes means wearing a nicer version of your jeans and t-shirt combo - like a newer pair of Converse, or maybe even a pair of the tech darling Allbirds shoes. Remember that a jeans dress code can be dressy, and to maintain the image you want the world to remember you by - whatever that means to you!

4. Stay curious

When I made a career transition that led me to 2U in September, I spent a fair amount of time scouring LinkedIn and reading Muse articles about how to rock a social media profile - it is my job, after all, as a Career Services Specialist to know what’s happening in the world of work so I can translate that for students in 2U-powered programs. The 1:1 profile reviews were a great opportunity to see how LinkedIn approaches profile development and to see how they structure a profile review, a service we offer to our students.

Career takeaway: Everyone, and I mean everyone, needs another set of eyes on their career artifacts. Whether it’s a resume, cover letter, or your LinkedIn profile, ask a trusted friend (or hire a career coach!) to help you hone your brand and your application materials before you send them off.

I left LinkedIn day feeling refreshed and excited to make updates to my own LinkedIn profile as I continue to support students in their own job searches and LinkedIn navigation. Thankfully I didn’t need to make too many changes to my profile, but it was a treat to hear from the experts themselves on how certain tweaks can make your profile really stand out.

Laura Kornhauser, a Customer Success Consultant at LinkedIn, shared a definition of the word brand by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos that I loved:

“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

As you take a look at your own LinkedIn profile, what does it say about your professional brand and who you are? Are you happy with what you see? Check out these great articles for ways to improve your own profile and share any tips and tricks in the comment section below!

Learn more about the Elevate platform here from David Leme’s great LinkedIn article, and what it was like for a 2U alumni, Madison Calvert, (now a LinkedIn staffer) to return - who says you can’t come home?

Oh and don’t forget - we’re hiring!