I am 20 years old and a junior in college, with 1,150 connections on LinkedIn. Most of the time when I excitedly tell my friends that my network is growing, they question why I even have a LinkedIn profile as a junior in college. My response? Because it is EVERYTHING.

My LinkedIn profile has allowed me to connect with professionals from all around the world, and has even opened me up to internship opportunities across the country. Whenever I go to a workshop, agency tour or simply meet someone while traveling, I always ask them if I can connect with them on LinkedIn. These professionals are always delighted that I am asking and respond with, “Yes!” But following their initial response they say, “I am impressed that you are on LinkedIn at such a young age.” So why exactly is beginning a LinkedIn profile in college so important?

1. Begin networking early.

Networking is extremely important in the professional world, so the earlier you begin building your network the better. LinkedIn allows you to connect with professionals from all around the world. One thing that I like to do when I connect with new people is send them a message thanking them for the connection and I have been able to meet some awesome people by doing this simple step. By stepping out of my comfort zone and reaching out to new people in the professional world, I have had internships recommended to me and hope that when I graduate from Winona State University I will be able to have a job set up.

2. Start that job search.

As I stated, LinkedIn has presented me with many internship opportunities. But it also allows me to search job openings in my field. I like to frequently check when new jobs are posted because it gives me an idea of what potential employers are looking for.

3. Help make your career decision.

While LinkedIn does allow you to search jobs in your field, it also allows you to explore different industry jobs and get an idea of what career path you want to take. If you aren’t sure which type of career would be a best fit for you, you can simply search jobs and see what sounds like a best fit for you.

4. Show off yours skills.

LinkedIn allows you to enter in your skills and accomplishments so that potential employers can view them on your profile to see if you would be a good fit for their team. This section can allow you to enter in your strengths and even expand on why they are a strength of yours.

5. Seek recommendations.

When it comes to connections, you can also seek our recommendations. Since I am still in college, I personally like to reach out to connections I’ve met and ask them advice about entering the professional world and what specific tips they’d have for someone still in college. The advice that I have received as a result of this has been extremely beneficial for me and have helped me in my classes and current internship position.

LinkedIn can be extremely beneficial for college students, because it prepares you for the real world. Do you have a LinkedIn profile yet? How do you think LinkedIn can benefit you in your career path?