The abundance of less than flattering display pictures on there is alone enough to debunk this myth. But it is not uncommon for students to be unsure about what Linkedin is for, even if they use it themselves. The social media site has been built with recruitment in mind and can be a very powerful tool for any student or graduate in search of work. Unlike Facebook, Twitter and what have you, Linkedin is about selling your professional self as opposed to being a hub for friendly banter with chums and posting pictures of cats.
Recruiters routinely hire through vacancies posted on LinkedIn as this infographic shows:
When not being used to advertise job vacancies, LinkedIn is a useful networking tool through which you can secure internships and job roles simply through starting conversations with employers and growing your network of connections. Former University of Manchester student Tom Canning used LinkedIn to secure an internship (warning: this post does contain strong language).
It’s well worth spending some time over the vacation period on getting your LinkedIn up to scratch so that you can start using it as the careers magnet that it is in the New Year. We’ve got advice on using LinkedIn on our website.
Top tip: If you’re struggling for connections, get adding people you know on your course and imagine what your network will look like in 5 or 10 years’ time when you’re all off doing different things. Connecting with family friends and neighbours could be useful too – you never know who they’ll know!
(Image Source: http://socialmeep.com/infographic-the-social-recruiting-pocket-guide/)
University of Manchester Careers Blog 
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