Linkedin

Present yourself as what you have experience in. Just because you've only been working on student films doesn't mean you're not a filmmaker. If you’ve made films and you are seeking jobs in the film industry, then make your headline “filmmaker” - not “Emerging filmmaker” or “Aspiring filmmaker.”

Give context, especially when reaching out to people you don’t really know - name something specific and tell them what you want. Save space by not including “Hi __, my name is Elena” - cut right to the chase.

Example: Hi! I also went to Ithaca College and am now exploring careers in marketing. I saw that you’ve worked both in-house and at the 829 Studio. I’m a little lost about which direction I should take,  and was wondering if you’d be open to sharing about your experience working in both kinds of settings. Thank you!”

Give employers a chance to know who you are on a human level and get to know your personality. Anyone can see which school you attended and where you’ve worked, so don’t waste your space by repeating it. Talk about a specific story or anecdote that only applies to you. What are you passionate about? And don’t just say “helping people and solving problems.” - the more specific, the better. Here's my Linkedin so you can see the bio.

Go to jobs tab > Update Career Interests > Toggle button to “Let recruiters know that you’re open.”

Are you creative? Link to your work in your experience entries. Did you contribute to a project or research study? Share it and let people see it! It will allow people to see first hand what projects you’re referencing, while breaking up the list so there’s a change in pace and content for viewers.

1. Search your school name in search bar on Linkedin > Click Alumni side bar > Filter to find people in your field and nearby. Here's a video tutorial about how to find alumni.

This is a great way to expand your network. Click here to learn more about networking.

Select specific strengths and skills tailored to your industry and have other people to endorse them. You and your friends can endorse each other, but make sure they don’t do ALL of them or it will look planned.

While on the topic of expanding your network, make sure you actually know your connections or anticipate building some sort of relationship. Don’t just add people to increase your connections stats, and then ghost them.

There’s not a one page limit like a resume, so use that to your advantage. Include past opportunities and experience. If you haven’t had a job or internship yet, you can include part-time jobs, extra curriculars, class projects, and community engagement.

Ask 2-3 supervisors or coworkers to write one. If you apply from "Linkedin Easy Apply", the recruiters will definitely see these and they carry more weight than in other situations. However, don't go overboard, because they are time stamped and you don't want to seem like you went out and asked as many people as possible.