Your network is your net worth
LinkedIn can be a valuable tool for software engineers looking to build their professional network, find job opportunities, showcase their skills and experience, and stay up-to-date with industry trends and insights.
It’s important to start building your LinkedIn professional network as early as possible, so let’s start LinkedIn today!
Tasks
- 0. Create your LinkedIn account if needed and populate your Intranet profile!
If you don’t have one already, create your LinkedIn account.
The LinkedIn URL should look like this: https://www.linkedin.com/in/<name>
- 1. Create a professional LinkedIn profile
To have a professional-looking LinkedIn profile, here are some important things to do:
Use a professional profile photo: Your profile photo is the first thing people see when they visit your LinkedIn profile. Make sure it’s a professional headshot that reflects your industry and personal brand. If you do not have a professional headshot (like most of us), simply put a picture of yourself. Here is an article with examples and advice
Craft a compelling headline: Your headline should be a brief summary of your professional experience, skills, and expertise. It should make people want to learn more about you. You are allowed to use ChatGPT for this.
Write a summary that showcases your strengths: Your summary should highlight your professional strengths, experience, and career goals. It should be well-written and engaging, and it should make people want to connect with you. You are allowed to use ChatGPT for this.
Customize your LinkedIn URL: Customizing your LinkedIn URL can make it easier for people to find you and remember your profile. It also looks more professional than the default URL.
List your work experience and education: Make sure your work experience and education are up-to-date and complete. Be sure to include any relevant certifications, awards, or achievements.
Use keywords: Use keywords throughout your profile to help people find you when they search for specific skills or expertise.
Ask for recommendations: Recommendations from colleagues and supervisors can help to validate your skills and experience. Be sure to ask for recommendations from people who know your work well.
Overall, a professional-looking LinkedIn profile should be well-written, complete, and engaging. It should showcase your strengths and expertise and make people want to connect with you.
- 2. Connect with 10 persons
Connect with 10 new persons (you can do more if you would like of course). It could be:
your friends
someone from the ALX SE staff
your peers
someone from your family
When you ask someone to connect with you, make sure you add a personalized message. For instance, if you would like to connect with Julien Barbier, make sure to mention that you are one of his students from ALX SE. If you would like to connect with your ALX peers, make sure to mention you are going through ALX. etc.
From this day on, anytime you meet someone (online, email, offline, etc.) get into the habit of connecting with them on LinedIn. Remember ALX SE permits you to meet with so many incredible people. Take advantage of this. You should have at least hundreds of connections at the end of the program just by adding peers you interact with.
- 3. Follow 5 influencers
You can also follow people on LinkedIn without connecting to them. It could be people or even brands. If you don’t know where to start, you can follow Faces of ALX SE