A LinkedIn profile is an important professional material. All students should have a LinkedIn profile to be competitive in the job market. This profile can be used as a more complete record of skills and achievements than the resume; to network with other students; and for students to be visible to recruiters.
The Basics
As with all professional documents, ensure that your LinkedIn profile has:
- Accurate spelling and punctuation
- Consistent tone throughout
- Working links
Compelling Introductory Information
- Professional profile photo
- Customized background image
- Catchy headline that incorporates your target role.
In this screenshot of Lindsey DesRochers’ LinkedIn profile, we can see that her profile picture is zoomed in on her face, that her header image shows abstract photography, and that her headline includes her industry and area of expertise.
Contact Information
Ensure that all of your contact information is accurate and up-to-date. In addition, ensure that you list your professional email.
Summary Statement
A compelling summary statement is written in clear language, speaks to your experience and background, and demonstrates your professional qualifications.
Sample Summary Statement
A dedicated and high-energy educator with a background in curriculum development, K-12 administration, and adult learning facilitation. Certificates in ESOL teaching and Gifted & Talent education; I have deep insight into the entire education journey, from Kindergarten through continuing education. I am familiar with traditional pedagogies, am to how to adapt them to best suit every 21st century student’s needs.
Experience
This section should be listed in reverse chronological order.
Each entry should include the following:
- Job title
- Company name and location
- Dates of employment
Your experience section should include your accomplishments, not just your job duties. Use results-driven bullets to highlight progress in your career.
Sample Experience Section
ESOL Learning Specialist
Los Angeles Public School
August 2016-Present
- Taught English language skills to students from Kindergarten through grade 8
- Coordinated with administrators on planning TELPAS/rating
- Scaffolded curriculum for a range of fluency levels, from remedial English up to multilingual fluency.
- Screened all LEP (Limited English Proficient) students and built systems to monitor progress
Gifted Teacher/ESOL Specialist
Los Angeles Public Middle School
August 2014 – August 2016
Consulted yearly with district ESOL supervisor to establish best practices for new and returning students
Lead workshops on adapting curriculum for gifted students
Education
Your Education section should be in reverse chronological order, and should include any boot camps listed as certificates. Since Lindsey has multiple degrees and certificates, she’s separated them by type for maximum impact.
Skills
Your skills section should include at least 20 skills and interests. The skills should be a mixture of technical and transferable, and the interests should be a mixture of personal and professional.
Sample Skills
Industry Knowledge
- Instructional Design
- Teaching
- Project Management
- Education Administration
- Budget Management
- Learning Management Systems (LMS)
- Web Design
- Adobe Captivate/Photoshop
Tools and Technologies
- LMS
- Jira
- Microsoft Office
- Adobe
- Blackboard
- Turnitin
Interpersonal Skills
- Conflict Management
- Leadership
- Team Building
- Problem Solving
Other Skills
- G-Suites
- Confluence
- Tech-savvy
Projects and Recommendations
Include any relevant trainings listed in reverse chronological order. Also include at least 2-4 recommendations that attest to your skills and work ethic.
Sample Relevant Trainings and Recommendations
Jasmine has listed her Qualified Bilingual Staff Certificate in her Licenses and Certifications section, three entires in her Skills and Endorsements section, and included recommendations from one former supervisor and one former instructor.
Recommendations
Course Instructor
If you were to ask any of the other members of our cohort who has helped them the most, they would all unanimously say Lindsey. She is always first in line to put her knowledge to the test and solve problems. Lindsey is also a natural leader, yet humble enough to join the ranks, pulling her share of the heavy duties.
Former Supervisor
Lindsey is highly organized, a strong communicator, and a truly wonderful counselor. I got to work with her on multiple projects and I loved hearing her solution-focused perspectives on ways to manage challenges.
