Use LinkedIn Like a Pro—With Purpose

“Recent MBA Graduate” is a status. “Helping Brands Grow Through Insight and Impact” is a promise.

Instead of labeling yourself, tell us what we get by knowing you.
Use keywords, sure—but wrap them in meaning. Think of your headline as your five-second elevator pitch. What do you stand for? What do you spark? What’s your jam?

✅ Try This Format:
“Ex-Google | Scaling Impact Through Data + Story | Advocate for Ethical Innovation”

This isn’t your cover letter—it’s your why-you-get-out-of-bed section.

Tell us about the through-line in your career. What drives you? What values won’t you compromise on? What weird-but-wonderful connection do you make between finance and human behavior?

✅ Write in the first person. You’re not a robot. Show us your spark.

Yes, a polished headshot matters. Yes, a banner image can say a lot about your world. But this isn’t about being “buttoned-up”—it’s about being intentional.

✅ Use a banner image that reflects your industry, ambition, or ethos. Whether it’s a cityscape, data viz, or your side-hustle slogan—make it you.

If your experience reads like a job description, rewrite it. Your bullet points should read like highlight reels.

Instead of this:
“Managed quarterly marketing campaigns.”

Try this:
“Executed multi-channel campaigns that boosted lead conversions by 37% and made our sales team buy me lunch.”

✅ Use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Make every line a reason to connect with you.

LinkedIn recommendations are powerful social proof. Ask former managers, professors, or colleagues for a short testimonial — and offer to write one in return. 

✅ When you request one, make it easy: “Would you mind highlighting how we collaborated on X project or the results of Y campaign?”

Your network should reflect your industry, interests, and aspirations — not just people you already know. 

Think: people doing what you want to do, people thinking how you want to think, people one step ahead of where you are.

✅ Send a note with your request. Mention what drew you to them. Be human.

You don’t need to go viral. You need to be valuable.

Share what you’re learning. Post takeaways from articles, a-ha moments from work, or what your MBA didn’t teach you about real-world leadership.

✅ Comments build just as much credibility as content. React to others. Add insight. Ask smart questions.

Let recruiters know you’re open to opportunities — but choose the private setting if you're currently employed. 

🔔 Set up job alerts for target companies, titles, and locations so opportunities come to you.

Your follows say a lot about you. They reveal your interests, your values, and your next possible chapters.

✅ Alumni networks (here's Kelley's LinkedIn page) are pure gold. Reach out, be curious, and lead with “fellow alum” energy—it goes a long way.

You grow. Your LinkedIn should too.

Set a quarterly reminder to update your headline, add new wins, refresh your photo, and tweak your “About” section to reflect where you are now—not where you were last July.

✅ Use LinkedIn’s Profile Strength Meter, but trust your gut. Does it feel like you?