LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that provides job seekers with valuable opportunities to connect with potential employers, expand their professional network, and explore job openings in various industries. Think: Networking! Schedule an appointment with a CPD coach if you have any questions.

Step 1: Create your LinkedIn profile

Begin by creating your account. Both basic (free) accounts and premium subscriptions are available, and both can be tried for free for one month. Starting out, the basic account is perfectly fine. To build your profile, start with the essential building blocks. 

1. Headline: The headline is the text that appears just below your name. Craft a distinctive and personalized headline rather than just stating your current role or field of study.
2. Profile Photo: Use a high-quality photo with a clean background that clearly highlights your face. Remember, profiles with pictures attract more views. Need a good photo? Contact the CPD to schedule a photo shoot in our mini studio. (603-646-2215; cpd@dartmouth.edu)
3. Background Photo: Use a relevant background photo that complements your personal brand and sparks interest in your profile. Not sure? You can certainly use a background photo of the Dartmouth campus.
4. Summary: Use this section to share your personal story, key values, skills, strengths, and goals. Let your personality shine through while maintaining a professional tone. 
5. Open To: Edit your job preferences to indicate that you are currently seeking an internship or a job. 
6. Experience: List all relevant work experiences, internships, and key projects. 
7. Education: Include your school, degree(s), major, and any relevant activities or organizations you were part of. 
8. Skills: Highlight key skills that are relevant to your field of study or career goals.
9. Accomplishments: List notable achievements, honors, and awards. This section can also include publications, languages, projects, and volunteer work.
10. Interests: Follow organizations, influencers, and companies that resonate with your career interests. 

Sample Profiles

Kyle Bretherton ’20

Joshua Greene ’23

Ashwini Narayanan ’22

Wending Wu ’23

Step 2: Start Networking!

When exploring employee profiles in a potential future company, change your viewing settings to “anonymous” in “Select what others see when you’ve viewed their profile”.

Alumni Networking: Identify Alums of Interest

There are several ways to find Dartmouth alumni on LinkedIn. First, you can visit the Dartmouth College page and click on the Alumni tab, revealing over 68,000 alums! Second, you can go to the Dartmouth Alumni Group, which reveals alumni who have elected to be part of a networking group.

Other Networking: Searching for People within a Company

To connect more broadly with people (not just alumni) within a company of interest, to seek an informational interview, or perhaps, to connect with a recruiter, the approach is similar. To accomplish this, visit the page of a company or organization and use the People tab within, filtering by job title, role, keyword, or school attended.

Want more LinkedIn information? Check out our in-depth LinkedIn Resource Guide

And/or schedule an appointment with a CPD coach if you have any questions