LinkedIn as a job hunt tool
We provide online sessions to train our students how to navigate LinkedIn and how to develop a profile. We also discuss ways to research companies, connect with decision makers and link with the students. How has this site been used in your classrooms if at all? Do you think it a good idea to connect/link with students while they are in school or only after they graduate?
Linda,
I love the idea of providing the online sessions to help the students with the job search, networking & preparing for a career.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I believe that instructors should connect with student only after they graduate. I keep a very robust Linked In profile and am happy to connect with graduates. However, while still in school, many institutions view connecting with students as fraternization.
Douglas,
yes, this is definitely an area where I would hesitate to make any absolute statements. My institution actually encourages us to make social network connections with our students as part of our recruitment & retention efforts.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
We show the students how to set up and effectively use Linked In. Many students request I connect with them. I do not see a problem connecting with them on a professional web site in a professional manner. Unlike Facebook where I do not want to share my personal information with them, with Linked In I can continue to help them as they enter the real world.
Mike,
this is an excellent point & one our school does as well.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
It would be nice to set up students on limked this would help them with there professional training to start them in the woorking world
Gary,
we've actually made it a requirement at my school for the students to set up an account in their capstone courses.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I have not used LinkedIn in the classroom but we are discouraged from using social networking sites like Facebook with current students. However I can see how LinkedIn could be appropriate for a particular advanced class like Portfolio Development.
As a teacher of graphic design senior portfolio, I push my students to create their professional online "presence." I stress the use of Linked In for students looking to enter their career workforce, as well as posting their best work to Behance.com. Many are already maintaining their own websites or blogs before they enrolled in the class.
