Students: Make Yourself Look Like an Expert on LinkedIn

With the power of the internet at your fingertips, you don't need a scholarly journal or academic's endorsement to look like an expert. First, sign up for an account on LinkedIn and fill out your profile. Next, follow these tips from Laura Short at the University of Wisconsin-Stout to look like an expert in your field. Link these profiles to your LinkedIn account and watch the job offers roll in!

Blog your work and work your blog!

Start a blog with your career-related academic work and try linking to other blogs in the industry. Not sure you want to start your own? Guest post on a blog that caters to the industry you'd like to work in. Platforms like WordPress, Blogger or even Tumblr make setting up your own blog quick and easy to do. Try writing about what you're learning in class or publish papers you've written for a class or project.

Dig for news and content.

Set up a profile at Digg.com and start linking to articles that relate to the profession, industry or job you'd like to have.

Create a booklist on LibraryThing.com.

Set up an account and make a public book list at LibraryThing so potential employers can see that you're reading and interested in the current material that's relevant to your industry or desired position.

Make a YouTube video.

Have a friend film you as you complete a task or teach a lesson on a career-related topic and post it on YouTube. This will show employers that you can actually do the things your resume indicates. Want a job as a programmer? Make a video that teaches people basic computer coding, how to create a website, program a mobile application, etc.

Set up a twitter account.

Twitter is an incredible networking tool that will help you to find others in the industry you're interested in working in. Interested in education? Follow @DianeRavitch or @arneduncan, as well as a host of other teachers, administrators and professionals. Ask questions and offer helpful information. A strong network of twitter followers could help you find a potential employer and will show other potential employers that you actually know your stuff!

Create an online portfolio.

If your industry requires a portfolio, set one up online and link to it in your resume so employers can see what you've done quickly and easily.

Make news.

Let your alma mater know what you're doing once you graduate. Be it your high school, college, graduate or professional school, getting featured in a newsletter or local paper looks great to employers.

Get Published.

Write an article for your local paper or your school's paper on something related to your field of professional interest. Read and subscribe to industry news sites or publications and write a response letter to an article. Small local papers are often looking for fresh writers or articles, so don't be intimidated.

Set up a profile on squidoo, the social networking site for experts.

Set up a profile on Squidoo and you might even be able to make some money off of your skills. Click here for a list of ideas about what type of "lens" to start. You don't have to be a total expert to set up a lens that people will link to and read, you could write a list of acknowledgements about people who have influenced you in your life, make a lens for charity or write a book list of the best books on a topic you're interested in.

Click here to see the full slideshow of tips from Laura Short.