LinkedIn Checklist for Experienced Villanovans

Follow this checklist to learn how experienced Villanovans can leverage LinkedIn for networking and showcasing their professional brand.

Creating and Updating Your Profile

  • Prepare: Review your account settings and privacy to assess how others see your profile and activity
  • Headshot: Upload a photo of yourself in an interview suit with a professional background
  • Name: Match to the exact name listed on your resume and ensure consistency if using a middle name, middle initial, suffix. etc.
  • Headline: Write an impactful overview of your areas of interest, industry and skillsets, all which are broader than your current job title
  • About: Build upon your headline to explain your present role, frame your past, highlight your successes and show your passion
  • Experience: Copy and paste from your resume, following content guidelines from our Resume checklist for Experienced Villanovans
  • Education: Include relevant degrees, fields of study and any activities or societies
  • Volunteer Experience: Include to exemplify transferrable skills
  • Skills: Add a minimum of five skills related to the industry and jobs you are most interested in
  • Accomplishments: List certifications, patents, publications, honors and awards
  • Public Profile URL: Start by looking for the “Edit Public Profile & URL” button on the top right of your “View Profile” page. Customize for easy sharing, ideally linkedin.com/in/yourname
  • Finalize: Ask a friend or mentor to review the final version with a fresh set of eyes
  • Get Recognized: Ask trusted colleagues and supervisors for meaningful recommendations

Utilizing LinkedIn for Networking

  • Build Your LinkedIn Network: Proactively connect to current and paste colleagues, professional association members and appropriate contacts within your network
  • Interests: Join groups to align with your goals and interests
  • Stay Active: Post, like and share professional content to enhance your visibility on the platform and build more opportunities to grow your network
  • Connect: Follow employers and influencers that strategically align with your career interests
  • Remember: A LinkedIn Premium account is not required to successfully utilize the platform

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