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How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile as a Student
It's never too soon to start!
Girlboss Media
January 28, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 15 minutes
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JANUARY 28, 2025
Talking Points
If You’re Too Busy
It’s Tuesday, so you know what that means: it’s how-to time. Every week, a guest expert will share some tactical career advice (and answer your pressing questions). Today, how to set up the ultimate LinkedIn profile as a student, with the help of viral career expert Hanna Goefft a.k.a. @hannagetshired. As a former recruiter, hiring manager, and recruitment marketer with over 400K followers on Instagram and TikTok combined, she knows what’s up. Now, before you scroll past, this advice doesn't just apply to students and new grads. Anyone could benefit from a little LinkedIn revamp, don’t ‘cha think?
Your 2025 LinkedIn Glowup Awaits ✨
How do I create a great LinkedIn profile as a student? I wanna do side jobs since my parents encourage me to gain some experience as a soon-to-be 21-year-old.
If you're already thinking about the quality of your LinkedIn profile as a student (beyond just checking the "I have a LinkedIn profile" box), congrats, you are ahead of the curve! Your LinkedIn profile is a powerful tool to access new opportunities that you will rely on for the rest of your career, so it's worth approaching intentionally.
Here’s why it matters: Canva's 2025 New Year New Job report revealed that 94% of hiring managers find it valuable when job seekers have an established social media presence related to their careers.
When you're early in your career without full-time experience, your LinkedIn profile is your chance to show you're smart, adaptable, motivated, and eager to learn (and to be honest, prove that you won’t double your manager’s workload by needing constant hand-holding in your first “real” job).
Here's how to nail each section of your LinkedIn profile:
Photo & Banner: Show that you understand workplace professionalism. No Snapchat filters, party photos, or awkward cropped group shots. Choose a clear, well-lit headshot where you look approachable and put-together. Use Canva's LinkedIn banner templates to create a professional header that highlights what you're studying, what you're passionate about, and what kind of role you're seeking.
Headline (220 characters max): Your headline shows up in search results before anyone clicks your profile, so instead of just listing your current role or major, focus on the job you want. Include industry-specific keywords that recruiters actively search for. This helps LinkedIn's algorithm surface your profile to the right opportunities. Examples:
"Aspiring marketing intern skilled at social media management, content strategy, and marketing analytics"
"Environmental science major with a passion for sustainability & conservation seeking an internship in environmental policy"
“Aspiring software developer | Experience building apps in Java, Rails, C# | Seeking entry-level programming position”
About: This is where your professional story comes alive. Skip the cliché "motivated professional passionate about..." opener that populates half of LinkedIn. Instead, show your journey and personality:
What sparked your interest?
What are you building or learning?
What makes you uniquely suited for your target role?
For example, instead of: "Marketing enthusiast seeking opportunities," try something like: "What started as making Instagram Reels for my dance club's fundraiser turned into a love affair with creative storytelling—now I'm helping other student organizations find their voice on social media." Make this section distinctly you while keeping it professional and focused on your career goals.
Featured: One of the most underutilized sections with the biggest potential impact. Think of this as your highlight reel. Link to articles you're featured in, published class projects, research papers, sample work from side hustles, or best of all, your portfolio. Canva’s research found that 72% of hiring managers prefer candidates who present a portfolio of their work, but only 35% of job seekers use them, so this can help you stand out from the crowd.
Experience: Focus on experiences that demonstrate relevant skills for your target career, even if they weren't in the exact same field. For that summer job at the coffee shop? Skip the "made lattes" bullet and highlight how you managed inventory systems, trained new hires, or improved customer satisfaction scores. For each position, focus on the impact of the work and skills you gained, not just a list of your responsibilities. But if an experience doesn't help tell your professional story (like that summer mowing lawns), leave it off.
Education: Add your school, major, degree (even if not yet completed), plus any honors, recognitions, leadership roles, relevant coursework, academic societies, etc. Show that you're making the most of your academic experience.
Recommendations: What's more convincing? You telling people how great you are or someone else vouching for your skills? Ask managers from part-time jobs, volunteer supervisors, professors, or club advisors for recommendations. (Pro tip: Make it easy for them to say “yes” by suggesting specific qualities you'd like them to highlight, or even offering to write the initial draft).
Remember, LinkedIn's algorithm can surface your profile to employers searching for specific skills and experience, so build your profile around the job you want, not just the experience you have today. A complete profile with industry-specific keywords and relevant projects works continuously to connect you with new opportunities. This, plus creating a strong visual identity through your profile images and portfolio, are the foundations for your personal and professional brand, which can make you more memorable to employers and credible within your desired field.
Need help getting started? Check out Canva's LinkedIn templates and portfolio design tools to create a profile that catches recruiters' attention and tells your professional story effectively. Good luck!
Written by Hanna Goefft, @hannagetshired
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IN COLLABORATION WITH
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Snacks
💻 Has anyone checked in with their Gen-Z colleagues lately? They’re not okay.
🐳 A new AI chatbot has entered the villa (and sent major US tech stocks plummeting)!
⛈️ “The company is a great place to work… for everyone but me.”
👏 The newly signed Fashion Workers Act is a major win for women in the fashion industry!
⏰ You’re not the problem. It’s your phone alarm.
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JOB OF THE DAY
The Corporate Chef for Nestlé Professional Solutions is responsible for driving culinary sales and growing key customer relationships in the National Account Channel. This role will demonstrate culinary selling skills, a deep knowledge of back-of-house operations, and a passion for industry and consumer-related trends. As the National Account Corporate Chef, you will partner closely with food service sales, marketing, commercial development, and custom innovation experts to ensure exceptional customer interactions and build strong industry partnerships.
APPLY IF YOU HAVE: A Bachelor’s degree in culinary arts, food science, or a related field preferred; 4+ years of restaurant or foodservice industry experience required, culinary selling preferred; 2+ years in a culinary role at a food manufacturer or comparable setting required; Knowledge of food safety regulations and sanitation standards; Knowledge of marketplace, channel and industry trends, and competitors. An entrepreneurial spirit with a strong desire to develop new business, and more.
SALARY: $115,000 - $130,000
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