“It’s not what is poured in to a student that counts but what is planted.” 

– Linda Conway

Think about a time in math class where the class was so fast-paced that you would be forced to memorize formulas and concepts without actually understanding them due to strict homework and test deadlines. Often as college students, we are faced with a situation like this and we do well initially that semester, but when finals come along or when we move to a higher-level class we struggle as we cannot understand the basic concepts from the previous course. The same had happened to me in a course. I was able to get a good grade in the class, but at the end of the semester, I could not remember what I had learned. I knew that I would need to review the concepts of the previous course before my fall semester started.

Shortly after I got accepted into SJSU, I learned about how most universities provide students with free access to LinkedIn Learning, so I registered and searched for the course, Financial Accounting. Through the help of this course and the features of LinkedIn Learning, I was able to understand the concepts that I had missed.

Some characteristics that stood out to me about LinkedIn Learning were:

  1. There is a course for everyone.

LinkedIn Learning has courses split into 3 broad categories: Business, Creative, and Technology. Inside these categories, you can learn courses that start at a beginner’s level or others that go up to an advanced level depending on your knowledge and experience.

  1. You can learn at your own pace. 

Based on the course, there are many tools provided to help you understand the topics covered. Some of my favorites were: being able to change the playback speed, the transcript tool (You can click back on the sentence that you want to specifically revisit), and the Q&A tool through which you can ask your instructor or fellow learners questions at any time and have a discussion about the topic.

  1. Learn on the go.

You can download the LinkedIn Learning app on the Apple App Store, or on the Google Play store and learn courses on the go whenever you have time.

  1. You can take courses for your professional development.

There are many courses available created by experts who give tips on topics such as creating or improving your resume, mastering interview questions, improving your public speaking skills, or even learning how to start a conversation.

  1. Add courses and certificates to your LinkedIn Profile.

Once you complete a course, you have the option to add it to your LinkedIn profile, making it easily available for recruiters to see. Recruiters are more likely to hire you if they are looking for a skill that is visible on your profile.

Through the help of LinkedIn Learning, I was not only able to build my knowledge in my major, but also improve on my skills in Microsoft Excel, learn how to create projects in Canva, and finally improve my resume and interviewing skills. I hope to see all of you learn and improve skills through courses on LinkedIn Learning as I did!

Originally Published by Manit Dassani on Linkedin.