Topic 4: How to Learn and Share Career Knowledge

on LinkedIn

LinkedIn makes absorbing the knowledge of your network super easy. Read on to discover a wealth of opportunities that could be sitting right under your nose.

As a student sizing up your ideal career, do you ever have an inkling you might not be making the most

of the abundant networking and learning opportunities all around you?

If you’ve been following our series you’ll already be familiar with the many small actions that can

help you to get the most out of LinkedIn.

In Topic 1 we looked at the importance of having a fully fleshed out profile, listing

your accomplishments, so that you can easily be found by others.

In Topic 2 we looked at why relationships matter when it comes to building a great career.

We learned that the secret is to start with your immediate network and watch your connections

grow, based on who they know.

Topic 3 looked at how to leverage LinkedIn to find a job. We saw that it’s all about optimising your profile, asking your connections for assistance and making the most of

all the many ways you can search for jobs and info about companies on Linkedin’s central database.

Here in Topic 4, we’re going to explore the many ways you can use LinkedIn now and in the future.

You can share advice and gather insights that will help you succeed in your career.

Step 1: Learn from

your network

Have you recently graduated or are you still in university? If so, you have an excellent

pool of people who can help you on your job hunt - your fellow students and alumni.

They can give you the benefit of their own experience, and point you in the direction

of great opportunities.

They might even be able to offer you sound career advice too.

One great place to find alumni and classmates is by exploring your university’s

Alumni on LinkedIn.

Just go to your University Page to explore the careers of those who graduated from your university

and your course.

You can see where they now work, and the career path they took to

get there.

You can check their profiles and even get in touch with them – most

alumni are happy to share help and insights with students from

their old university.

Alumni aren’t your only networking priority. Why not follow companies too?

You can learn lots from best-in-class brands.Many companies post inspiring information related

to job opportunities, events, and more, so follow them and get updates directly to your feed.

You might also learn about new roles this way!

Ever heard that

old saying: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you

miss, you’ll land among the stars”?Whether you spend your nights dreaming

about working as a data analyst for Capgemini or a marketing exec at L’Oreal, there are a wide

variety of industry trendsetters you can learn from on LinkedIn. Why not have a search for

your favourite brands today?

When it comes to carving your perfect career, it can

help to get advice from the big guns.

Everyone has to start somewhere.

Of course LinkedIn is also a platform for publishing great content – one where top industry trailblazers light up your screen with brilliant advice,

hints, tips and thought-provoking posts. Why not challenge your thinking and the status quo by following great Influencers – like Richard Branson.

Whatever industry you’re looking to get into, groups

enable you to stay connected with those who matter.

Groups are the perfect way for those with like-minded interests to share content, find

answers, post jobs and make contacts.

You can also grab great insights from others to take with you to job interviews and meetings.

What’s more, people who join groups typically get 5 times more profile views than those that don’t!

Thinking you need to join some groups pronto? Well, handily, LinkedIn gives you suggestions of groups you

might find interesting based on your profile - or simply

type a few keywords into the search bar for more

specific results.Why not join a group and ask more experienced members what skills you need to rise to

the top?

And when you join a group you’re also growing your network. You can see the full profile of those

in your group, even if you’re not connected – if they’re in a relevant field, that could

be a great bonus!

Step 2: Share insights and

engage with your network

Want to establish your reputation further? Sharing ideas, questions,

articles and website links will put you at the forefront of your industry –

whatever level of your career.

Sharing great content regularly proves that you possess the qualities of a top employee.

So why not show you’re passionate, knowledgeable

and collaborative by sharing an interesting post, news or

video today?

It can take a little courage to showcase your vision –

but the pay-offs are worth it.

We may have all come from different ships, but we’re in the same boat.

Forward standout job listings onto your fellows because it’s nice to help others. And who knows?

They might return the favour someday.

Taking action keeps the conversation going and builds your reputation as an excellent

LinkedIn contact. If you want to be remembered,

take the time to like, comment and share other people’s updates.

And there you have it! A 4 step guide to learning and sharing career knowledge on LinkedIn.

Remember these key points and you’ll be growing your network, profile views and opportunities in no time at all:

Make sure you connect with your alumni

Follow companies and Influencers to stay on top of industry trends and insights

Get involved with relevant groups to share knowledge with like-minded people

Share status updates and insights with your network on a regular basis to demonstrate passion and enthusiasm