College Students: Make the Most of Your Summer Job

August 20, 2012

Dear College Student,

Your summer job is coming to an end and it is time to pack your car for the drive back to the dorms. Before you re-enter the world of all-nighters, football games, and 3 a.m. Hot Pockets with a Pop-Tart chaser, be sure you update your LinkedIn profile with the new skills you learned this summer.

In his book, Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies, Joshua Waldman, social media expert, offers tips for a smart return to campus. We picked three of our favorites to highlight here.

And, college and high school students, check out PayScale's College Salary Report, full of valuable information for setting yourself up for success beyond college and into the real world. And don't forget to rate your school!

Do You Know What You're Worth?

3 Social Media Tips for College Students Heading Back-to-School

1. Ask Your Friends About Their Summer Jobs. In today’s job market, networking is one of your best bets for landing a future gig. Call your friends, order a pizza, and find out how everyone spent the summer. You never know where your next connection will come from.

2. Update Your Summer Job on LinkedIn. Again, networking is key. Showing a variety of skills and experience on LinkedIn could serve you well in your future job hunt. Also try adding some of these new elements to your profile: The New LinkedIn Profile Improvement Tool

3. Get Summer Job Recommendations Before Your Boss Forgets Who You Are. It’s not too early to start planning for next summer. Ask your boss to write a paragraph or two on your LinkedIn page while the memory of your brilliance is still fresh in his or her mind.

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