LinkedIn is a great social media tool for professionals that allows you to virtually connect with OCC students and alumni*, as well as professionals that are working at companies or in fields of interest. You can even connect and send a private message to specific people to ask for an informational interview. LinkedIn's student resource page(opens in new window) offers tips on creating your profile, reaching out to people, building your professional brand, looking for jobs and more.
*To look up OCC students/alumni specifically, follow these instructions:
- Log in or create a new account on LinkedIn, following the prompts to create your profile.
- In the search bar at the top of the page, type "Orange Coast College" and from the drop-down menu that appears, select "Orange Coast College – School – Orange County, CA"
- Scroll down to the "Career Insights" section and click on "See all career insights."
- Try different search criteria such as: Where they live; Where they work; What they do. If you select the "Next" arrow, you'll see What they studied and What they are skilled at.
- Explore the profiles of thousands of alumni according to your interests and make sure to Connect with people that may be beneficial to have in your network.