Businesses are searching for students like you, so make sure you’re FOUND.
Filling out your WayUp student profile is a great first step to launching your job search. In fact, your chances of getting hired increase significantly when you do! You should think of your student profile as your online resume and portfolio. Why? Because employers can now search for students based on specific skills, qualities, relevant coursework and more.
Here are three things you need to do to make your profile stand out.
Crush the basics and get creative.
Making sure that each section is completely filled out (and interesting) is the first step to getting the most out of your profile.
About You
The first section includes a short description of who you are along with a “Fun Fact” and “Languages.” Use this section to show off your personality and include everything that makes you, YOU! Are you a huge sci-fi fan? Have you been playing softball since age four? Can you speak fluent German? Employers are interested in more than just your GPA. They want to see your personality shine through, and they’re likely to take notice of unique traits and hobbies.
Education
This one’s easy! To make the most of it, we recommend taking it a step further by filing in 3-7 of your favorite classes so that employers can see what you’re interested in.
Internship & Work Experience
This is a great chance to highlight your work experience, whether that experience is based in an office or not. Jobs like being a camp counselor or a waitress are awesome to include because they demonstrate important skill sets like how to work with a team and how to interact with customers. If you’re interested in becoming a teacher, your work as a counselor will also show potential employers that you have the right training for the job.
Include 2-5 bullet points that describe each role and use action words like “led,” “developed,” and “created” when explaining what you achieved at each job. Emphasize your accomplishments and give an example for each one. Did you double a company’s Instagram followers at your social media internship? Write that!
Above all, show that each of your previous jobs was an important learning experience. If you were a Starbucks barista, the skills you picked up in customer service and upselling are going to be really useful for the sales internship you’re trying to land and your future boss should know that.
Extracurriculars
Highlight some of the fun things you’ve done on campus. Whether you’re an athlete, in a sorority or part of a club (or all three!), mentioning the organizations you’re involved in will give employers a sense of how well-rounded you are. Added bonus: They might discover they have something in common with you.
Skills
From hard skills like programming and writing to soft skills like communication and leadership, this section is the perfect opportunity to emphasize your strengths and play up your experience.
Hobbies
This is a great chance to add a bit more color to your profile. Whether you love to snowboard or know the full Netflix lineup every month, this is a good opportunity to round out your profile with a couple more things that make you unique.
Choose the right profile picture.
Adding a picture to your WayUp profile is a great way to boost your chances of getting hired, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind when picking the right one. Your picture probably shouldn’t be the same as your Snapchat selfie or Instagram thumbnail. Instead, pick a high-quality photo that makes you look professional while still showing your personality. Wondering what to wear? Go with something casual but conservative, like what you might wear to dinner when your friends’ parents are in town.
Make it public.
Once your profile is filled out, we recommend making it public. That’s the only way companies searching on WayUp can find it. And besides, once you’ve given your student profile that makeover, you should want to show it off!
How to do it: At the very bottom of your profile page, you’ll see a box labeled “Public Searchability.” Click “Yes” and then make sure to click “Let Businesses Find Me” on the Account Settings page too!
Pro-tip: Give employers easy access to your profile by including the link in the signature line of your email.
Having a WayUp student profile is the perfect way to stand out to employers and show off who you really are. Ready to create yours? Get started here.
