Why is there so much hullabaloo about LinkedIn?

As a recent college graduate and a newbie in the recruiting industry but I found out one thing very quickly: GET A LINKEDIN. I couldn’t tell you how many great prospects I’ve found off of LinkedIn. Professors tell you a million times to update your LinkedIn profiles but you didn’t listen because they’re old and don’t know what they’re talking about. Hate to tell you this but they were right. Personally speaking, I was bombarded with emails from my university about LinkedIn. Headlines always reading something like “come get you headshots today!” or “how to use LinkedIn”, or “Have you updated your LinkedIn lately?” I couldn’t find the delete button fast enough. Little did I know what I was actually missing out on. What everyone was trying to emphasize to me was just this:

LinkedIn is a major key to getting your foot through the door.
Corporate recruiters are constantly on LinkedIn. It is one of the best professional networking tools out there. You are able to reconnect with your chemistry partner from freshman year or follow people you admire in the professional world. LinkedIn is where you can showcase yourself without leaving the comfort of the couch. The more connections you make, the larger your networking web will be. This could be the beginning of a career . And let’s be honest, you didn’t just work your butt off for four years not to get a job!
I could go on and on about how important LinkedIn is, but just try it for yourself and see. Remember that this is NOT your resume but it is a great place to highlight your skills and accomplishments from your glory days in college. Even if you don’t have an elaborate work history, still put your profile on there. Take advantage of free headshots. Leave the party pictures for Instagram. Update your skills section. And volunteer work does count. If the experience made an impact on the way you see yourself as a professional, put it on there.
I am not employed by LinkedIn but I use the site enough to understand its importance. As a fellow Millennial, I would highly recommend making an account. Take the 30 minutes you would have spent on Facebook or playing video games, and update your LinkedIn profile. Don’t wait around for a recruiter to find you. Be proactive and go find those recruiters! If you want to open doors for yourself, get a LinkedIn!