Social Media Etiquette: A First Year's Guide to Mastering LinkedIn

Being a millennial and growing up in the digital age means our every move can be easily tracked (on social media that is). Whether we realize it or not, every photo, like, comment, share, and republish is traceable back to us. It all remains somewhere in the unknown we like to call the “interweb”. So why not create a professional profile you are not afraid of potential employers finding? While it might seem a bit overdramatic, we need to take action before it is too late. After having reflected upon my own use of social media, I have identified three key tips to mastering LinkedIn as a first-year student.

Start Early

Your first few months of university are sure to be jam-packed with finding a new friend group, getting involved in clubs and societies, and adjusting to living on your own, all while trying to juggle a heavy workload. While your professional social media presence may be the last thing on your mind, you will only reap the benefits by starting early. I did not officially join LinkedIn until April 2018 (at the end of my first year of university), and wish I had jumped on that train much earlier. Create your profile now. By being active on LinkedIn, you may actually find employment opportunities without trying and long before your co-op search…AND employers will see your motivation and initiative (bonus!).

Choose Your Connections Sparingly

While it might sound cliché, who you choose to surround yourself with is a reflection of your character. You are in no way obligated to accept a request from each person who asks to join your network. Before hitting that accept button, take a look at their profile. Is this someone you know? If not, are they a professional? More times than I could even count, I have received requests from individuals who live in a different continent, with no clear indication that they are a part of the business world. People who I share no mutual connections with. A clear danger sign.

Be Active

This is a tricky one. "Post" and "like" often. Sometimes we do not see anything on our timeline that we feel is interesting or that relates back to us in any way. That feeling is normal. I mean, as a marketing student are you really intrigued to read an article about US taxes? Probably not. You should never feel as though you must like, share, or comment on a post just for the sake of doing it. However, it never hurts to go searching for inspiration or news items that you are actually curious to read. I actively look for articles that focus upon female empowerment and gender equality within the workplace - topics that have sparked my interest since day one. Rather than liking a post once a month, try to be active at least once per week. This engagement demonstrates that you keep up to date on relevant topics.

What are you waiting for? Take that first step, or should I say, make that first connection to your professional future. Get a head start on your professional image long before you begin your job search. You will thank yourself later.

About the writer: Emily Yach is a second-year Commerce student at Dalhousie University. She is the Marketing and Communications Coordinator for the Rowe Women in Business Association and recently spent the summer working as an intern at Pension Canada within the Accounting department.