LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that helps you connect with alumni, employers, and professionals in industries related to your career interests. It’s a space to:

• Build your professional brand
• Showcase your experience and skills
• Explore job opportunities
• Research organizations
• Network with professionals and alumni

You can use LinkedIn to:

• Grow your professional network—a key part of any successful job search
• Research organizations and industries
• Find job and internship opportunities
• Establish a strong, professional online presence

Creating Your LinkedIn Profile

Your profile should highlight the skills, experiences, and goals that align with your career interests. Include only professional and relevant information—avoid personal details like your birthdate, home address, or marital status.

💡 Before building your profile, browse the profiles of professionals in your field to see how they present themselves.

Professional Headline

Your headline appears directly under your name and is one of the first things people see—both on LinkedIn and in Google search results. It’s also automatically generated based on your current position, but you can (and should) customize it.

💡 You only have 220 characters, so make them count.

Use your headline to communicate:

• Who you are
• What you’re about
• What you’re seeking

Think of it as a mini elevator pitch—a quick way to show your value and direction. It’s probably more important than you think, especially when it comes to being found in searches.

Examples:

• Health Educator | Passionate about community wellness & preventive care
• Recent MPH Graduate | Focused on health equity & data-driven solutions
• Healthcare Operations Analyst | Improving systems through strategic insight
• Student | Aspiring Environmental Health & Safety Officer | EHS Intern | OSHA-10 Certified

✅ Tip: Use keywords from your target industry to improve visibility in recruiter searches.

Profile Photo

Your photo is your first visual impression—make it count. In fact, profiles with a photo get 14 times more views than those without one.

✅ A professional-looking photo can be taken at home with just a few simple steps.

DIY Headshot Tips:

• Dress professionally (business attire recommended – see the Professional Attire Handout)
• Use a neutral, uncluttered background
• Position the camera at eye level
• Smile—you want to appear approachable and confident

❌ Avoid using cropped group photos, selfies, or casual images from social media.

Bonus Tip: Add a Cover Photo

Your cover photo is another opportunity to reinforce your personal brand. Choose an image that reflects your field, interests, or values—something clean, relevant, and professional.

About

The About section (formerly called “Summary”) is your opportunity to tell your professional story in your own voice. It’s not a cover letter—it’s a conversational but professional introduction to who you are, what you’re passionate about, and where you’re headed.

💡 You have up to 2,000 characters (about 350 words), but only the first ~40 words are visible before someone clicks “See more”—so make them count.

Tips for Writing a Strong About Section:

• Use first-person voice (e.g., “I am passionate about…”)
• Keep the tone professional but approachable
• Write with your audience in mind—employers, recruiters, or collaborators
• Draft in a word processor first to refine your message
• Use short paragraphs for readability
• Avoid starting with “Hello, my name is…”—your name is already at the top
• Keep it general enough to appeal to a range of audiences
• Include keywords from job descriptions to improve search visibility

What to Include:

• Your professional interests and goals
• A few key skills or areas of expertise
• Highlights of relevant experience or accomplishments
• What you’re currently seeking (e.g., internships, full-time roles, research opportunities)
• A touch of personality or motivation—what drives your interest in the field

Example opening (first 40 words):
I’m a public health student passionate about improving community wellness through data-driven solutions and health education. With experience in outreach, research, and program coordination, I’m eager to contribute to initiatives that promote equity and access in healthcare systems.

Education

Include:

• Your current or completed degree(s)
• Major(s), minor(s), and concentration(s)
• Honors or awards
• Relevant courses, projects, or papers

Experience

Your LinkedIn experience section should highlight roles that are relevant to your career goals—but that doesn’t mean they all have to be in your target field. Focus on what you accomplished, the skills you developed, and how each experience contributes to your professional story.

💡 Including at least two previous experiences can improve your visibility in LinkedIn’s algorithm.

What to Include:

• Job title and organization
• Dates of employment
• Promotions or title changes, if applicable
• A brief description of your role, focusing on:
  • What you accomplished or contributed
  • Transferable skills you developed (e.g., communication, leadership, problem-solving)
  • Any learning or growth that occurred
  • Why you transitioned roles, if relevant

✅ Keep it relevant—even if the job wasn’t in your field, highlight how it prepared you for your next step.

❌ Avoid copying your résumé word-for-word. LinkedIn gives you space to add context and tell your story in a more conversational tone.

Additional Sections

Skills

The Skills section helps recruiters and connections understand your strengths at a glance—and it plays a role in LinkedIn’s search algorithm.

Tips for Skills:

• Select at least 4 skills to start (more is better if they’re relevant)
• Use keywords from job descriptions to guide your choices
• Monitor what others endorse you for—you can reorder or remove skills as needed
• Link skills to your experiences when possible (e.g., mention them in your job descriptions)
• Be generous with endorsing others—they may return the favor

💡 Keep your skills aligned with your goals. If a skill doesn’t support your current direction, consider removing or replacing it.

Recommendations

Recommendations are essentially public letters of recommendation that appear on your profile. They offer a more in-depth view of your skills and character than endorsements.

Tips for Recommendations:

• Aim to have at least one recommendation per key role or experience
• Request recommendations from people who can speak to your work—supervisors, colleagues, professors, or mentors
• When requesting, send a personalized message explaining what you’d like them to highlight
• Be prepared to write recommendations for others—it’s a great way to build goodwill and strengthen your network

Other Sections to Consider

Depending on your background and goals, you may want to add some of the following:

• Licenses & Certifications – Especially important for regulated fields or technical roles
• Projects – Highlight academic, research, or independent projects
• Courses – Showcase relevant coursework, especially if you’re early in your career
• Volunteer Experience – Demonstrates values, leadership, and community involvement
• Publications – Include journal articles, blog posts, or other published work
• Patents – For those in innovation or research-heavy fields
• Honors & Awards – Academic, professional, or community recognition
• Test Scores – Useful for standardized exams (e.g., GRE, MCAT) if relevant
• Languages – Include your proficiency level (e.g., fluent, proficient, conversational)
• Organizations – Student groups, professional associations, or leadership roles
• Causes – Causes you care about can help humanize your profile and show alignment with mission-driven organizations

✅ Choose sections that support your goals and tell your story. You can reorder or remove sections at any time to keep your profile focused and relevant.

Join Groups

Groups are a great way to:

• Connect with professionals in your field
• Stay informed about industry trends
• Access job postings exclusive to group members

Groups to consider:

• Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health
• IU Indianapolis Alumni
• Indiana University Alumni Network
• American Public Health Association (APHA)
• Public Health Professionals
• Healthcare Administration Students & Mentors

To find more:

• Use the Groups tab to search by industry, interest, or organization
• Explore the profiles of professionals in your field to see which groups they’ve joined

Make Connections

The more people you connect with on LinkedIn, the easier it becomes to access opportunities across industries, locations, and organizations. Your network is your most valuable asset—start building it intentionally.

Start with People You Know

Begin by connecting with:

• Classmates
• Professors
• Colleagues
• Supervisors
• Friends and family

You can search for people directly and browse their connections to discover others in your field.

✅ Always personalize your connection requests—avoid using LinkedIn’s default message.

Connecting with People You Don’t Know

If you want to connect with someone outside your immediate network:

• Look for shared groups, alumni status, or mutual interests
• Send a brief, personalized message explaining:
  • Who you are
  • How you found them (e.g., shared group, same university)
  • Why you’d like to connect (e.g., to learn more about their role or organization)

(See the Networking Handout for message templates and tips.)

Requesting Introductions

One of LinkedIn’s most powerful features is the ability to request introductions through mutual connections.

Example:
You find someone—John Smith—who has your ideal job. Before reaching out directly, check if you share a connection. If so, you may see a “Get introduced” option on John’s profile. Use this to ask your mutual contact to introduce you.

💡 A warm introduction increases the likelihood of a response and builds trust.

Search for Alumni and Professionals

Find Alumni Tool

Under the “My Network” or “Connections” tab, use the “Find Alumni” feature. LinkedIn will automatically pull data from your most recent school.

You can filter alumni by:

• Location
• Employer
• Industry
• Keywords

Once filtered, scroll through the list to find alumni who match your interests.

📌 The more connections you have, the more results you’ll see—LinkedIn’s network is like a spider web: the more threads, the farther your reach.

Advanced Search

Use the Advanced Search feature (accessible via the search bar) to find professionals by:

• School (e.g., IU Indianapolis, Indiana University)
• Job title
• Employer
• Keywords

This is a great way to find alumni or professionals in specific roles or organizations.

Other LinkedIn Tools

Company Pages

Under the “Interests” or “Companies” tab, you can:

• Follow organizations
• See job postings
• View company updates
• Identify employees you’re connected to

💬 Many company pages are managed by HR professionals who may respond to questions or post updates about hiring.

Job Postings

Click the “Jobs” tab to access LinkedIn’s job board.

• Most listings are from larger companies and organizations that pay to post
• Nonprofits and smaller organizations may not post here as frequently

✅ If you’re targeting large employers (e.g., hospital systems, Eli Lilly, etc.), LinkedIn is a great place to look.

Instructional Videos

Need help getting started?

• Schedule an appointment with career services
• Or visit LinkedIn’s Help Center for tutorials and tips