Look and sound like a professional.
Ask to be endorsed.
Don’t embellish your capabilities, or worse, make things up.
Don’t include personal information in your profile that you don’t want prospective employers to know about.
Take the time to research groups and then join the ones that seem the most valuable.
These were all among the lessons Wednesday afternoon as career advisor Tamara Mitchell conducted a student workshop in the College of Business’ Career Success Center on how to use LinkedIn, a social networking site aimed at career building.
Mitchell said data from the U.S. Department of Labor show that 75 percent of all jobs in this country are obtained through some form of networking, highlighting the importance of using every type of available tool for making connections with prospective employers.
LinkedIn gives users the opportunity to network with vast numbers of professionals in their field and related ones, provides excellent job search and company research capabilities, and perhaps best of all, it allows organizations to actively and efficiently hunt for job-seekers as they try to fill openings.
“People are going to search for you,” Mitchell said. “You might as well make it easy on them.”
Workshops are scheduled for 3 p.m. at the CSC two of the next three Wednesdays as well. On Jan. 21, the topic is “How to be competitive in the job market.” On Feb. 4, students will learn more about networking skills.
For more information on the Career Success Center and its workshops, visit http://business.oregonstate.edu/careers or drop by the CSC, Austin Hall 102.
