LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network, boasting more than 43 million members. As such, it can greatly assist you as you search for internships and full-time nursing jobs.

In order for you to use LinkedIn to your greatest advantage, you need to know how to use it effectively and remain active.

Here are some quick tips for helping you get the most out of LinkedIn:

• Complete your LinkedIn profile to 100 percent—The more robust your profiles is, the more likely you will to be found by employers. Your profile should include keywords, recommendations from people you worked for, and details about your experience, including internships, extracurricular activities, and work-study assignments.
• Make sure you become active in the university’s career center and/or alumni LinkedIn group—One advantage of going to college is that you can connect to and tap into your school’s alumni community. LinkedIn career center and alumni groups can facilitate alumni-student relationships for informational interviews, internships, full-time jobs, and more.
• Know the LinkedIn networking etiquette —RNs need to understand that LinkedIn is not Facebook; it is a 100 percent professional community. As such, you should use correct grammar on their profiles and in your communications. Also, LinkedIn often gives options for you to use generic messages or to customize their messages. You will have a much better chance for response from alumni or recruiters if you customize your messages and demonstrate solid communication skills.