Here are five tips inspired by Marlo’s insights to help you make LinkedIn your secret weapon.

1. Make Your LinkedIn Keywords Work Hard for You

Recruiters search for candidates using keywords pulled from job descriptions. Marlo stresses the importance of tailoring your profile to match these terms. Scan job postings in your field and strategically incorporate keywords into your headline, skills, and experience sections to boost your visibility.

2. Highlight Relevant Skills Strategically

Your skills section is more than a list—it’s a way to showcase what sets you apart. Marlo advises pinning the three most relevant skills to the top of your LinkedIn profile. This ensures that recruiters immediately see your top strengths. Don’t forget to ask professors, colleagues, or mentors to endorse these skills for added credibility.

3. Tell a Story with Your Background Photo

Most users stick with LinkedIn’s default background, but Marlo sees this as a missed opportunity. Choose a simple, professional image that reflects your career aspirations. For example, a sleek tech-inspired design could work for aspiring engineers, while a creative abstract might suit marketers or designers.

4. Get Specific with Recommendations

When asking for LinkedIn recommendations, Marlo advises providing your recommenders with specific achievements or skills to highlight. For example:

“Could you mention my leadership skills and the impact I had on [specific project]?”

This ensures that the recommendations align with the story your profile is telling and helps recruiters see your potential.

5. Maximize Your Visibility with LinkedIn Settings

Many job seekers overlook the importance of profile settings. Marlo recommends making sure your profile is public so recruiters can easily find you. Additionally, turn on the “open to work” feature to signal your availability without alerting current employers.

A Career Playbook for the Modern Era

These LinkedIn tips are just one example of the practical guidance Marlo provides in Wanted → My First Career. From creating compelling resumes to nailing your first 90 days on the job, the book covers everything you need to know to build a career that aligns with your passions and goals.

Some of the chapters you can look forward to include:

• “Be Intentional” – How to approach every step of your career with purpose.
• “Assessing What’s Important to You” – Discovering your values and translating them into a fulfilling career.
• “Recruiters Are the Gateway” – Understanding how to connect with and leverage recruiters.
• “Tell a Great Story in Your Cover Letter” – Making your application stand out.

About Marlo Lyons

Marlo Lyons is an award-winning author, career strategist, and executive coach with a passion for helping individuals navigate the complexities of the job market. Her previous book, Wanted → A New Career, won the Eric Hoffer Award for Best Self-Help Book of 2022 and was praised for its empowering and practical advice.

Marlo is a globally certified career coach, HR professional, and licensed lawyer. She regularly contributes to publications like Harvard Business Review, CNN, and Newsweek and has shared her expertise on top podcasts like GrowCFO and The Power In The Pause. You can reach Marlo at www.marlolyonscoaching.com. 

Get your copy of Wanted → My First Career today, available in Kindle, paperback, and audiobook formats. Take the first step toward building a career that reflects who you are!

We can tell you that the answer is “yes.” NSCS is a legitimate organization, and we aim to offer our members the resources they need to succeed not only in college, but later on in their careers. We offer scholarship opportunities, networking, internships, community service experiences, and more.

Of course, that answer only means so much coming from us. If you want to know whether an organization is legitimate, you really need to hear from its members and figure out whether they’ve gotten value out of their memberships. This is why we have our member ambassadors respond to questions that come through our chat tool. Those ambassadors can speak to their own experiences with NSCS, offering direct evidence to students who are questioning whether NSCS is legitimate or a scam.

One comment we recently received through the chat was as follows:

“I’ve gotten a couple emails, but I wasn’t sure how legitimate that were.”

We really can’t blame this student for questioning whether an email from us was legitimate or not. Most people’s email inboxes are littered with scams and spam, and we would not anyone to fall prey to one of those scams. Luckily, our ambassador was able to reply:

“I wasn’t sure at first either and my 3rd year apart of NSCS I strongly recommend it to everyone nominated! Have a great day.”

This is not just us encouraging a student to join. It is a real member sharing that although she was a little skeptical at first, she is now three years into NSCS membership and believes it has not only been a worthwhile experience, but one that more people should have. Students don’t stick around for three years if they’re not getting a lot out of an experience! We hope this prospective member felt more confident in joining after this response.

Here’s another question we received in the chat.

“I am looking into becoming a member and have received some emails from the NSCS, but I want to know a little more about a membership from an actual member. Could you tell me a little bit about your overall experience with this society?”

This student took a less-direct approach with her question, but what she is really asking is whether NSCS is a legitimate organization that will be worth her time and resources to join. 

We love how the ambassador responded:

“For me the experience has been very rewarding. I have met amazing people and became a star status coordinator for our chapter. Being able to be a part of NSCS has allowed me to network and meet individuals who like myself aspire to achieve greater things and made a difference in this world. I have also taken advantage of the scholarships that become available to us.”

This response really points out that the value of NSCS is multi-faceted. We don’t just offer scholarships. We also offer leadership opportunities, networking experiences, and more. NSCS is a legitimate organization that gives back to its members in many ways, and it’s up to each member to engage with those resources and tailor their experience to meet their own needs.

So, is NSCS a legitimate organization? Our student members seem to agree that it is! Join with confidence; there is a lot of opportunity here waiting for you.