The First Thing You Should Do
Remember, everything you do in your internship should be documented in your resume and, more importantly, your LinkedIn.
There are over 9 million* professionals in Australia utilising the networking capabilities of LinkedIn. It is the number one trusted source for employment referrals, validation of the work you have done and the network you’ve cultivated.
Anyone can update their resume with the fabricated content, but it’s very hard to lie on LinkedIn. This is why it has become such a trusted source, so make sure you’re using LinkedIn like a pro!
Use LinkedIn Like A Pro!
Make your profile stand out: Set a professional profile picture. This is a strong deciding factor as to whether recruiters and potential employers stay and look at your profile or leave immediately (or even whether they visit it at all). Ensure that your picture is of your head and shoulders, dress professionally, do your hair and makeup if you wear any and smile. The picture should be clear and on a professional background that is not distracting. Leave party photos or full-body shots for Facebook or Tinder!
Connect and interact with people: Now is an appropriate time to request connections with some of your team and workmates. Make sure you have had a conversation with them while at your internship before you send them a connection request. You should also write a quick note to remind them who you are and politely requesting to connect with them.
Include your internship experience: You should absolutely add your internship as part of your professional experience, however you should not describe it as an internship, or yourself as an intern. If you are doing an IT internship in front-end development, your experience should read: “Front-end developer at Company Name”.
Post engaging content: The more active you are on LinkedIn, the more people will see and interact with your posts and notice your profile. You should be re-posting or creating your own content based around your career interests and learning. If your content is engaging, you’re more likely to gain interest from industry professionals and increase your own influence within the industry.
Follow influential accounts: If there are companies you’re striving to work for, or thought leaders in your industry that you respect, follow them! Interact with them by liking and commenting on their posts. This will encourage like-minded people to interact with you and help you build a network.
By using these tips and tricks, your LinkedIn will begin to gain interest from all sorts of people… and you might even attract a job offer!
*Source: Osman M, 2020. Mind-Blowing LinkedIn Statistics and Facts, Kinsta, https://kinsta.com/blog/linkedin-statistics/.
If you have any questions...
The Outcome.Life team are always here to answer any questions or help with any problems you might encounter during your internship.
You can contact us between 9am – 5pm, Monday – Friday at:
Phone: 03 8899 7424
Email: hello@outcome.life
Or use the form below to send us a message!
