By Devin Lewis

According to LinkedIn data cited in multiple reports, more than 122 million people have received interview requests through LinkedIn, and 35.5 million have been hired via connections on the platform. That means LinkedIn isn’t just a place to post your resume, it’s a launchpad for real opportunities. But here’s where most students don’t realize: those opportunities aren’t waiting until after graduation.

With LinkedIn’s “Graduation Year” filter, employers can find students by class year and start reaching out before diplomas are even printed. Research shows that 77-90% of recruiters rely on LinkedIn to find candidates, and that includes interns and entry-level positions. Every minute, over 9,000 job applications are submitted on the platform. For students, that means the hiring process has already started, whether you’re a part of it or not. A polished LinkedIn profile shows you prepared, engaged, and ready to be noticed.

LinkedIn isn’t just for professionals with years of experience. It’s quickly becoming the place where Gen Z (those born from 1997 to 2012) launches their careers. In fact, Gen Z is now the fastest-growing group on LinkedIn, with millions of new students joining every year.

For college students, that shift matters. In the same way TikTok shapes trends, LinkedIn is shaping the way students launch their careers. Your classmates, professors, and even potential employers are already networking there. By building your profile early, you’ll be setting yourself up for success before you even graduate.

The best part? LinkedIn rewards effort. A few minutes updating your headline, adding a project from class, or connecting with an alum can put you on a recruiter’s radar. While others wait until senior year to start looking, you’ll already be one step ahead. Think of it as planting seeds early; the connections you make now can grow into internships, mentorships, and job offers down the road.

We already spend hours every day on social media, scrolling through TikTok for laughs, Instagram for trending topics, and Facebook for friends and family. Those platforms are great for staying connected, but they do very little in terms of advancing our career goals. LinkedIn works differently. Instead of chasing likes and trends, it helps us build a professional identity that employers can actually find. Your post highlights class projects, your “About” section tells your story, and your connections can become mentors or future colleagues. Think of it this way; Instagram shows your personality, LinkedIn shows your potential. TikTok might get you followers, but LinkedIn can get you interviews. Five minutes on LinkedIn can do more for your future than an hour on TikTok.

Once you’ve created a LinkedIn profile, the real magic happens when you fill it out completely. A polished profile doesn’t just look good; it performs better. LinkedIn data shows that complete profiles receive 21 times more views and 36 times more messages from recruiters. Just adding a profile photo makes you 7 times more likely to be found in search results. And if you turn on the “Open to Work” feature, you could get 40 times more outreach from employers. Think of your LinkedIn profile as your digital handshake; it’s how you introduce yourself to the professional world. Adding your education, skills, class projects, volunteer work, and goals gives recruiters something to connect with. Even small updates like writing a short “About” section or posting a recent group project can help you stand out. Your profile doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be present and personal. When recruiters are filtering through hundreds of candidates, your polished profile can be the difference between being scrolled past and being hired.

Your future employer might already be searching for candidates with your exact major, skills, or interests; the only question is whether they’ll find you. LinkedIn isn’t just another app; it’s a career tool that works while you’re busy studying, working, or even scrolling. By taking a few minutes to optimize your profile, you could be opening doors to internships, mentors, and job opportunities. So, before your next scroll through TikTok or Instagram, ask yourself; have you updated your LinkedIn profile today? Because your dream job might already be looking for you.