How MBAs Can Use LinkedIn To Their Advantage

Increasingly, admissions officers are turning towards applicants’ social media to learn more about them. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Stacy Blackman, founder of Stacy Blackman Consulting, recently discussed how applicants can actually use social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, to their advantage.

SHOWCASE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Your LinkedIn profile can serve as a good place to highlight your leadership and accomplishments, as well as any other interests that can complement your application. It’s best, Blackman says, to utilize your LinkedIn profile as a tool to differentiate yourself and your background.

“Be specific about your professional role in the headline,” Blackman writes. “Also, think about whether you can provide a broader picture of yourself in this prime piece of real estate. For example, you may work as a staff consultant at Bain & Company or as an analyst at Goldman Sachs.”

The best LinkedIn profiles don’t merely copy and paste from your resume. Rather, Blackman suggests quantifying your accomplishments to give admissions officers a sense of what kind of impact you’ve had in each position you’ve held.

“Managing a staff is interesting,” Blackman writes. “But the fact that you supervised 30 employees and improved profitability by 25% is something anyone can understand. By giving the reader a number, you allow them to see just what kind of leader you were—and will be.”

BE CONSISTENT

Admissions officers should be able to look at your application and your LinkedIn profile and be able to tell that they’re from the same person. Blackman stresses the importance of being consistent across all aspects of your application—from your resume to your LinkedIn.

“Suppose your application touches on your keen interest in renewable energy, micro-investing in India, or Silicon Valley startups,” Blackman writes. “In that case, this section should show that you’re following influencers or organizations in those industries. This consistency reinforces the narrative within your application and lends credibility to your stated interests and passions.”

Sources: Stacy Blackman Consulting, Kaplan

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