LinkedIn is a powerful tool in the professional world. It lets people get to know you, your network and your skills. And it gives you a place to build your professional network. Yet many student have not begun to use the network as a tool in the future job hunting yet. Thus, I wanted to gather up a list of reasons to change this. It is time to get on the network now!

Here are 10 reasons to why students should have LinkedIn:

1. Stay connected with those you meet during your study period

Business cards get swooped when you meet people briefly and emails when you have classes with people. But from experience networks like Facebook make it easier to connect as we are constantly reminded about what people are up to. Therefore you should start right a way to build that network for your professional contacts.

2. Keep a dialog with those you meet

As I said in the first point, you get constantly updated about what people are up to. Use that to stay connected. Email people who change jobs or comment on someone who share a link and thus keep the dialog going.

3. Make your resume a constant work in process

Most of us have a resume that is only updated when it is time to apply for a new job. But when you have it on LinkedIn it is easier to update it more often as you’re constantly reminded of it. And we all know that things we work a lot with is often better than things we do “last second”.

4. Let others know what you are up to

Like you can stay connected by other’s updating what they are up to. You can do the same. Let people know about you latest projects and when it is time to graduate. People might have something they can contribute with.

5. Get endorsed for the work you do in school

It is easier to get endorsement when you have a reason to ask for them and while it is current. Let teachers and mentors endorse your work in school or with a project on LinkedIn right after they finish. Then you have it ready when and on print when someone wants to know more about you.

6. Give recruiters a way to find you

Recruiters are always looking for the best students. If not based on grades then best in other reasons. Give them a way to find you by having a well worked through LinkedIn profile.

7. Connect with people in the companies you are interested in

When it comes to big companies it might be hard to get in contact with a person as their website rarely gives you names on others than press people and the CEO. With LinkedIn you can research for some interesting connections yourself.

8. Show people what you know by participating in the forums

Many people ask questions in the forums on LinkedIn. Here you have a reason to show people that you know what you are talking about, by contributing with answers.

9. Apply for jobs on LinkedIn

When you have a complete LinkedIn profile, with resume, summary and endorsements LinkedIn can be a powerful tool to apply for jobs with, because people recruiting have a lot more than a piece of paper to go on. You can send people your resume as a link or you can apply for one of the jobs advertised on the forum.

10. Begin building your professional brand online

What it all adds up to is a price of your professional brand. What do people find when they Google you? If you are not ready for or don’t want to have your own website or portfolio this might just be enough.

If you’re still not convinced, read some of these stories.

Yesterday, I got the question “why do you blog?” of course I had around a million answers to respond with. Then I realized that the reason the person asked was not to find out why I blogged but to see if there was any reason to why he should blog.

This got me thinking about what blogging has done to me, and why I continue to blog. Thus I wanted to create a list to why I think that students should blog to complement their studies and choice their own professional path. Because I honestly believe that when I want to apply for a job or make decisions for my career this blog will matter.

Blogs give individuals an opportunity to express their opinions and make them count in a world of millions of others. Years ago, you needed to be a journalist or a politician to get your opinion heard; today, blogs offer anyone the opportunity to express oneself.

Now this list is written on the presumptions that writing is a way of studying; When you have put something in your own words you know it a lot better than if you only read it. Also, I talk about blogging about subjects, interest etc. and not a personal blog about what I did today.

1. Gain a deeper knowledge for the subject you are studying – or show people that you know about another subject.

When it comes to University classes I many times feel that even though I’m taking classes in subjects that interests me and the classes are really good, I do not really learn what had expected to learn. By blogging you can assign yourself any subject you want to analyze and write about and then learn about it yourself.

2. Improve your creativity by finding new subject to write about.

Initially blogging might be very easy and the subject may come to you by the second, but sometimes you will lose your flow or you might not find and interesting angle. Then creativity will be essential to keep your blogging up, and of course there will be other ways to improve your creativity like with the blog design etc.

3. Develop your analytical thinking though writing insightful posts.

It is one thing to republish the news or the facts that you read about, but adding value to them and figure out new angles is what will improve your analytical thinking. After all, for most subjects people already have a source for the news, so from you they will be looking for something a bit more insightful.

4. Create pieces for discussion and debate subjects that interest you through comments on your blog.

I bet that you many times wonder about what other people think about a subject. A blog could be the ideal way to find the answers. Many bloggers write about subjects that interest them and ask questions or do other things to make people comment. Then they learn from others by reading and participating in the discussion that can come out from that.

5. Improve your language skills, writing will give you a wider vocabulary and better grammar and if you prefer your could practice your professional writing.

As I write in my second language I broaden my vocabulary by having to find words representing what I am trying to say. But if you blog in your first language this same thing will probably work with synonyms and finding more precise definitions on what you are trying to say. Thus both will give you a wider vocabulary. Along with this you will improve your grammar by writing on a regular basis. Here I also want to point out that a blog, if you want it to, could be great way to learn to write professionally so that you are always ready to present yourself well.

6. Show that you are trustworthy by keeping the promise to your readers – blog on a regular basis.

All bloggers know that the traffic to their site decrease if they do not update regularly. Now what regularly means defers between bloggers, some updates a few times daily, while I update two or three times a week. This is what my readers expect from me and that is what I give you.

7. Improve your skills to express yourself, practice to write in a way that influences people.

It is one thing to use well thought out words and proper grammar, but expressing yourself in a way that influences people takes quite some talent. Some might have I naturally, while others have to work on it, and might never reach the same level. A blog could be a great place to practice.

8. Show that the interest that you have for your future profession is a passion.

Now, when most students who come home from school might be tired of the subject they study and want to do something else. Which is why showing a real interest for the subject you study could give you a great advantage in the future. When it comes to hiring, who will an employer choice – the blogger or the student watching tv?

9. Build a name for yourself, a personal brand, share your ideas and thoughts with the world and let them get to know you.

A blog is a great way to take control of your personal brand, to show people who you are. Now, you might not be an expert in a subject, and be honest about that. But you still can contribute you can still teach people who now less than you about the subject something. Or perhaps you can give a person who knows more a few great ideas. Let people get to know you and what you think, and one day you will probably be an expert.

10. Create a written portfolio showing that you are knowledgeable in the subject that you want to work in and you are very likely to get a head when you want to apply of a job.

What all comes down to, it being prepared for your future profession. Surely a diploma and a degree will do that, but your fellow student will have that to and compete for the same jobs. A blog will give you a differentiator, a lead, something that proves that you know what you are talking about. It is a written portfolio of your thoughts and ideas, or perhaps pictures, which make you, stand out.

Now, already when writing this I can think of more ideas, but I am going to stop here for now. I have given your some of reasons and explanations and left some things unsaid. Do you blog? Why do you blog? Why do you recommend others to blog? It is your turn to contribute to the list..