Blog Title

How International students on F1 OPT, CPT & OPT STEM can take advantage of LinkedIn for their bright Careers?

LinkedIn is a great platform especially if you are actively looking for an OPT job in the USA. LinkedIn has more than 750 million users in 200 countries and it will directly connect you with an employer in the US. Top companies and hiring managers use LinkedIn as a toolto search for candidates. This site is useful, especially forjob seekers looking for F1 visa jobs, OPT jobs, and CPT jobs in the USA. You can find your ideal OPT job in the USA according to your field or major within a limited time usingLinkedIn. Being an undergraduate, graduate, or job seeker here you can find some guidelines on how to build LinkedIn professionally to maximize your networks and find a perfect OPT job or CPT Job in the USA for yourself. 

Effective LinkedIn benefits to getting your desired OPT job in the USA?

  • You can build a professional online appearance to find an OPT job in the USA.
  • Source potential employers and industries.
  • You can connect with professionals, friends, and colleagues.
  • LinkedIn helps you to identify internship or job prospects. First thing first, let’s understand how you should build your LinkedIn profile in a professional way to attract hiring managers or recruiters. The below suggestions may help those who are searching for OPT/CPT jobs in their major field.

[I] How to build an effective LinkedIn profile?

[a] Upload a decent profile picture:

  • Your profile photo gives your first impression to the viewer, making it look professional. 

 Tips to make your Profile picture look professional:

  • Upload a high-resolution headshot profile image.
  • Dress professionally and look decent.
  • Avoid selfies. Nude background or simple background is preferred.

[b] Write an impactful Headline:

Your headline is the first thing that can grab the attention of the recruiter or reader. Enhance your headline with strong, searchable keywords. Hence, it should reflect who you are, your field, and your career purpose.

Tips about how your headline should be:

  •  Keep it short, simple, definite, and concise.
  • At least add 3 to 4 titles that describe your field, and career.
  • E.g., Headlines for HR - Talent Acquisition | Human Resources | Head Hunting |Recruitment.
  • E.g., Headlines for Data Analyst – Data Science | Data Engineer | Machine Learning | Data Integration.
  • E.g., Headlines for Business Analyst - Business Analysis | Business Processes | Requirements Management | Project Management.
  • E.g., Headlines for Mechanical Design Engineer - Product Design | Mechanical Design | Mechanical Testing | Six sigma foundations.
  • E.g., Headlines for Health Care Administration - Healthcare Assistant | Medical Counseling | Customer support | Account Management 

[c] Select the closest major location:

By adding your location, you will be more visible to recruiters and they will find you easily.

[d] Write a relevant summary:

Make sure you add a perfect and unique summary. In summary, the recruiters will let you know about your strengths, the challenges that you may have faced, and you’re learning outcomes. In addition to the heading, the summary is an essential part of your LinkedIn profile. Make sure to make it attractive and perfect.

Tips for the Summary section:

  • Everything you write in your summary should be true and reliable.
  • Take reference from Google but avoid copying the exact content from it, make your own content for the summary.
  • Add specific keywords and highlight them. E.g., for Data Scientists keywords - Data Visualization, Data Mining, Machine Learning, Analytics.

[e] Get benefit of Requesting Endorsement feature:

Ask for endorsements from the people who are aware of your talent and skills and with

whom you have actually worked with in the past.

[f] Must add Badge feature:

  • As a job seeker, you should know the badge feature on LinkedIn. Below your profile you can see one tab it’s called “Open to”. Click on the same, choose to find an OPT job, Fill up the details and add it to your profile. By enabling this “Open to” it will directly indicate that you are open to work and in search of job opportunities or OPT jobs in the USA. When you include this detail in your profile, you will be able to see the badge "Open to". It will beneficial for job prospects and recruiters to recognize OPT candidates easily.

Note: You can hide “Open to work” information from others by enabling the “Share with recruiters only” option.

[g] get benefit from “the Featured” section and activity section:

From this Featured section you can showcase your projects or work samples to people who view your LinkedIn profile. You can hide, delete, or remove content from your featured section. The featured section is really helpful for those students who are searching for OPT/CPT job seekers. Although the activity section highlights all your activity for the past 45 days.You can also post your articles, thoughts, comments, and like on other LinkedIn posts.

[h] Skills and endorsement section:

For optimum job search for OPT job in the USA, the skills mentionedplay an important role in the LinkedIn profile. Recruiters look for candidates who have the skill set that can help their company to achieve its ultimate goals. Adding the skills you possess is necessary for building your LinkedIn profile strong. Any unique skills that you hold might make you stand out from the crowd.
 

Use LinkedIn efficiently to land OPT job in the USA:

Today’s job marketing is more collaborative and more challenging than ever before. To attract recruiters and hiring managers, follow these steps:

[a] Update your profile regularly:

  • You can get better exposure through your profile if it's updated and a refreshing profile helps you in keeping the track of what you've done and where you've come from.
  • The updated profile highlights your latest achievements and relevant skills apart from this it will present you as an active job seeker eagerly looking for an OPT /CPT job in the USA.
  • Updated profile ensures that you provide the latest information about your accomplishments. 
  • Add what are you doing currently and all the latest experiences as well as courses of

            Study.

  • Your current experience should be evident to anyone who visits your page when you're actively searching for a job that fits your skills and interests.

[b] Search for the potential companies that you share an interest in:

  • After adding the latest up-to-date information to your LinkedIn profile, make sure you follow the potential companies.
  • Explore the companies on the basis of the industry, location, or any other keywords.
  • If you are confused about what kind of people should you connect with?And how to approach a connection that can be helpful in getting an OPT job in the USA? Well! Let me give some guidance.
  • Make a list of potential companies that hire individuals that belong to your field of study and research companies that have the opening for your desired OPT job and where you can gain employment. As soon as started following them.
  • E.g. If you are a web designer, you can follow the companies like Deloitte, Razorfish,22squared, Grey Global Group, etc.
  • As a job seeker, take advantage of LinkedIn by checking out the company profiles of your targeted employers.
  • Here you can visit company pages and it allows you to learn more about the company, its hiring process, and what people have to say about it. Hence it increases your employability,

[c] Be active on LinkedIn:

If you are an international student then you should have a LinkedIn account and be active on it to get a quick response. If you stay active on LinkedIn you must gain attention or response from recruiters and post the necessary professional content on your feed. You can post any professional achievements and fulfillments to persuade the employer that you are the best fit for their organization. Also, stay updated about LinkedIn's activities it will help you to get information in order to get an OPT job in the USA.

[d] Start connecting with professional groups:

Start connecting with people or companies who offer OPT jobs in the USA for international students and are ready to sponsor your H1B Visa. Identify them and follow the field-related employees. Send them a connection request with a short message that describes your interests and purpose. As well as start connecting with your field-related companies HR or Talent Acquisition teams. Such connections may assist you in obtaining employment.

[e] Try to enhance the experience part:

Job seekers or well-qualified people who have a LinkedIn profile should keep in mind that you the must add most relevant experience using the right keywords that target your job title. Your experience decides whether you are fit for the job or not. Job seekers who find OPT jobs in the USA make sure that in your work experience part you have to add your recent or past job roles, responsibilities, and achievements.

[f] Add relevant skills:

If you find your OPT job in the USA Skill part is one of the most important parts of our LinkedIn profile. In this section, you can add those skills which are relevant to your field. Your list of skills shows employers that you are fit for the job and recruiters at a glance what you are qualified to do. The more skills you list, the better your chances of getting contacted by the hiring manager and also having close to your dream OPT job.

Tips: While you want to list a lot of skills, write relevant skills which are relevant to your field. 

  • Target skills that appear in your skills and endorsement section.
  • Add every skill with specific keywords.

You can also measure your skills on LinkedIn through skill assessments and you’ll be able to validate your skills and add them to your LinkedIn profile.

Effective use of LinkedIn will surely lead you towards your desired OPT job. I believe that the above recommendations or guidelines will thoroughly help international students in order to get their desired OPT job in the USA. You can develop very good and potential relationships through LinkedIn.

If you are seeking someone to assist or maintain your LinkedIn profile for a job search, you can

always contact Career Ghost. Here we handle and maintain your LinkedIn profile professionally.

For more such employment guidance, follow Career Ghost.
 

How International students on F1 OPT, CPT & OPT STEM can take advantage of LinkedIn for their bright Careers?

LinkedIn is a great platform especially if you are actively looking for an OPT job in the USA. LinkedIn has more than 750 million users in 200 countries and it will directly connect you with an employer in the US. Top companies and hiring managers use LinkedIn as a toolto search for candidates. This site is useful, especially forjob seekers looking for F1 visa jobs, OPT jobs, and CPT jobs in the USA. You can find your ideal OPT job in the USA according to your field or major within a limited time usingLinkedIn. Being an undergraduate, graduate, or job seeker here you can find some guidelines on how to build LinkedIn professionally to maximize your networks and find a perfect OPT job or CPT Job in the USA for yourself.

Effective LinkedIn benefits to getting your desired OPT job in the USA?

  • You can build a professional online appearance to find an OPT job in the USA.
  • Source potential employers and industries.
  • You can connect with professionals, friends, and colleagues.
  • LinkedIn helps you to identify internship or job prospects. First thing first, let’s understand how you should build your LinkedIn profile in a professional way to attract hiring managers or recruiters. The below suggestions may help those who are searching for OPT/CPT jobs in their major field.
     

[I] How to build an effective LinkedIn profile?

[a] Upload a decent profile picture:

  • Your profile photo gives your first impression to the viewer, making it look professional. 

 Tips to make your Profile picture look professional:

  • Upload a high-resolution headshot profile image.
  • Dress professionally and look decent.
  • Avoid selfies. Nude background or simple background is preferred.

 [b] Write an impactful Headline:

Your headline is the first thing that can grab the attention of the recruiter or reader. Enhance your headline with strong, searchable keywords. Hence, it should reflect who you are, your field, and your career purpose.

Tips about how your headline should be:

  •  Keep it short, simple, definite, and concise.
  • At least add 3 to 4 titles that describe your field, and career.
  • E.g., Headlines for HR - Talent Acquisition | Human Resources | Head Hunting |Recruitment.
  • E.g., Headlines for Data Analyst – Data Science | Data Engineer | Machine Learning | Data Integration.
  • E.g., Headlines for Business Analyst - Business Analysis | Business Processes | Requirements Management | Project Management.
  • E.g., Headlines for Mechanical Design Engineer - Product Design | Mechanical Design | Mechanical Testing | Six sigma foundations.
  • E.g., Headlines for Health Care Administration - Healthcare Assistant | Medical Counseling | Customer support | Account Management 

[c] Select the closest major location:

By adding your location, you will be more visible to recruiters and they will find you easily.

 [d] Write a relevant summary:

Make sure you add a perfect and unique summary. In summary, the recruiters will let you know about your strengths, the challenges that you may have faced, and you’re learning outcomes. In addition to the heading, the summary is an essential part of your LinkedIn profile. Make sure to make it attractive and perfect.

Tips for the Summary section:

  • Everything you write in your summary should be true and reliable.
  • Take reference from Google but avoid copying the exact content from it, make your own content for the summary.
  • Add specific keywords and highlight them. E.g., for Data Scientists keywords - Data Visualization, Data Mining, Machine Learning, Analytics.

[e] Get benefit of Requesting Endorsement feature:

Ask for endorsements from the people who are aware of your talent and skills and with

whom you have actually worked with in the past.

[f] Must add Badge feature:

  • As a job seeker, you should know the badge feature on LinkedIn. Below your profile you can see one tab it’s called “Open to”. Click on the same, choose to find an OPT job, Fill up the details and add it to your profile. By enabling this “Open to” it will directly indicate that you are open to work and in search of job opportunities or OPT jobs in the USA. When you include this detail in your profile, you will be able to see the badge "Open to". It will beneficial for job prospects and recruiters to recognize OPT candidates easily.

Note: You can hide “Open to work” information from others by enabling the “Share with recruiters only” option.

[g] get benefit from “the Featured” section and activity section:

From this Featured section you can showcase your projects or work samples to people who view your LinkedIn profile. You can hide, delete, or remove content from your featured section. The featured section is really helpful for those students who are searching for OPT/CPT job seekers. Although the activity section highlights all your activity for the past 45 days.You can also post your articles, thoughts, comments, and like on other LinkedIn posts.

[h] Skills and endorsement section:

For optimum job search for OPT job in the USA, the skills mentionedplay an important role in the LinkedIn profile. Recruiters look for candidates who have the skill set that can help their company to achieve its ultimate goals. Adding the skills you possess is necessary for building your LinkedIn profile strong. Any unique skills that you hold might make you stand out from the crowd.
 

Use LinkedIn efficiently to land OPT job in the USA:

Today’s job marketing is more collaborative and more challenging than ever before. To attract recruiters and hiring managers, follow these steps:

[a] Update your profile regularly:

  • You can get better exposure through your profile if it's updated and a refreshing profile helps you in keeping the track of what you've done and where you've come from.
  • The updated profile highlights your latest achievements and relevant skills apart from this it will present you as an active job seeker eagerly looking for an OPT /CPT job in the USA.
  • Updated profile ensures that you provide the latest information about your accomplishments. 
  • Add what are you doing currently and all the latest experiences as well as courses of

            Study.

  • Your current experience should be evident to anyone who visits your page when you're actively searching for a job that fits your skills and interests.

[b] Search for the potential companies that you share an interest in:

  • After adding the latest up-to-date information to your LinkedIn profile, make sure you follow the potential companies.
  • Explore the companies on the basis of the industry, location, or any other keywords.
  • If you are confused about what kind of people should you connect with?And how to approach a connection that can be helpful in getting an OPT job in the USA? Well! Let me give some guidance.
  • Make a list of potential companies that hire individuals that belong to your field of study and research companies that have the opening for your desired OPT job and where you can gain employment. As soon as started following them.
  • E.g. If you are a web designer, you can follow the companies like Deloitte, Razorfish,22squared, Grey Global Group, etc.
  • As a job seeker, take advantage of LinkedIn by checking out the company profiles of your targeted employers.
  • Here you can visit company pages and it allows you to learn more about the company, its hiring process, and what people have to say about it. Hence it increases your employability,

[c] Be active on LinkedIn:

If you are an international student then you should have a LinkedIn account and be active on it to get a quick response. If you stay active on LinkedIn you must gain attention or response from recruiters and post the necessary professional content on your feed. You can post any professional achievements and fulfillments to persuade the employer that you are the best fit for their organization. Also, stay updated about LinkedIn's activities it will help you to get information in order to get an OPT job in the USA.

[d] Start connecting with professional groups:

Start connecting with people or companies who offer OPT jobs in the USA for international students and are ready to sponsor your H1B Visa. Identify them and follow the field-related employees. Send them a connection request with a short message that describes your interests and purpose. As well as start connecting with your field-related companies HR or Talent Acquisition teams. Such connections may assist you in obtaining employment.

[e] Try to enhance the experience part:

Job seekers or well-qualified people who have a LinkedIn profile should keep in mind that you the must add most relevant experience using the right keywords that target your job title. Your experience decides whether you are fit for the job or not. Job seekers who find OPT jobs in the USA make sure that in your work experience part you have to add your recent or past job roles, responsibilities, and achievements.

[f] Add relevant skills:

If you find your OPT job in the USA Skill part is one of the most important parts of our LinkedIn profile. In this section, you can add those skills which are relevant to your field. Your list of skills shows employers that you are fit for the job and recruiters at a glance what you are qualified to do. The more skills you list, the better your chances of getting contacted by the hiring manager and also having close to your dream OPT job.

Tips: While you want to list a lot of skills, write relevant skills which are relevant to your field. 

  • Target skills that appear in your skills and endorsement section.
  • Add every skill with specific keywords.

You can also measure your skills on LinkedIn through skill assessments and you’ll be able to validate your skills and add them to your LinkedIn profile.

Effective use of LinkedIn will surely lead you towards your desired OPT job. I believe that the above recommendations or guidelines will thoroughly help international students in order to get their desired OPT job in the USA. You can develop very good and potential relationships through LinkedIn.

If you are seeking someone to assist or maintain your LinkedIn profile for a job search, you can

always contact Career Ghost. Here we handle and maintain your LinkedIn profile professionally.

For more such employment guidance, follow Career Ghost.

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