Having a LinkedIn profile and not doing anything with it is exactly like taking out a gym membership and never going.
Yet that’s how most people use the platform. The general idea seems to be that you set up a profile, and you’re done. You use it to apply for jobs, look at (or stalk?) other people, and scroll a feed that often feels irrelevant. So you feel that LinkedIn must be a waste of time, or you decide that it just doesn’t work for you.
With the gym, your health and fitness improvements don’t happen by simply turning up. You have to put in the work. And even then, you need to know what you’re doing. Often, you’ll need someone else to hold you accountable. A personal trainer might feel like a luxury, but this investment is what turns good intentions into results, and makes the whole experience truly bespoke to you. Even taking a group class beats piecing it all together from online videos, because someone is there to correct your form and keep you going. That’s what my sessions are for LinkedIn.
Misconception 1: It’s just an online CV and job board
I deliver sessions in universities and sixth form colleges, as well as 1:1. The feedback is always excellent, and people are always surprised at how much there is to it. Students always leave knowing more than they did when they arrived, and often are amazed at the wealth of information they can discover through the alumni groups they have access to via LinkedIn.
Misconception 2: “We already run LinkedIn sessions in-house”
When I approach new universities, this is often the response, and it’s a sensible one. LinkedIn looks simple enough, and in-house is a great way to save money.
The challenge is that LinkedIn never stands still. So far in 2026 there have been around 159 changes or new features, and LinkedIn rarely communicates them – leaving users in a position of having to figure them out for themselves. I spend a ridiculous amount of time on LinkedIn; studying it, and talking about it with fellow LinkedIn nerds. I work out which changes matter for students, job seekers, and career changers… then update my sessions to match.
So how are you, as a lecturer or careers specialist with a million things to do, meant to keep up on top of LinkedIn as well as everything else you’re accountable for?
Misconception 3: “My teenager/young adult won’t listen to me anyway”
Parents, I know the feeling. It sometimes feels like my own kids don’t listen to me about LinkedIn, either. But having said that, they’re both in strong employed roles and building brilliant networks, so something must have gone in despite the eye-rolls.
Misconception 4: A LinkedIn session is generic box-ticking
It really isn’t. I love combining my two favourite topics, LinkedIn and careers, and I make every session relatable to the room:
- Students (and lecturers) bring their devices, so they can make changes and ask questions as we go.
- Volunteers share their career goals, and we work through how to build a great network in that area and a profile that aligns with it.
- We talk about how to engage in a way that feels comfortable for each person, and why that helps.
- I offer DM support after the session, and sometimes I spot opportunities for jobs or volunteering opportunities that I’ll send on.
Misconception 5: “She has pink hair, so she can’t be serious about careers”
This is probably the weirdest one I’ve come across. Yes, I have pink hair. No, it doesn’t change the quality of what I deliver. The feedback speaks for itself, and I’d argue it helps: students see someone who is clearly comfortable being herself, which is exactly what I encourage them to be on LinkedIn.
Your profile should reflect who you are, professionally and personally. The aim isn’t to blend in, it’s to be memorable (for the right reasons).
The bottom line
There’s so much press about how hard it is for students and new graduates to enter the job market, and it really is hard – but I can help.
Take one job off your list today. Book me to deliver the LinkedIn session your students really need. They will thank you for it.