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🚀 Pitch Yourself for Jobs: Set Up Your Tech Profiles Right

“Never miss a chance to showcase who you are — your skills, your story, your spark.”

Whether you're stepping into college life or gearing up for internships and job hunts, your online presence is your digital handshake. It speaks before you do. Having your GitHub, LinkedIn, resume, and portfolio ready is how you say:

"I'm serious, I'm skilled, and I'm ready."

Let’s walk through how you can set it all up — one profile at a time — and start building your personal brand from Day 1.

💻 Step 1: Download and Set Up VS Code

Why start here?

Because every coder needs a solid code editor — and Visual Studio Code is the most beginner-friendly, professional-grade choice out there.

VS Code is fast, powerful, and extensible. Whether you're learning Python or building full-stack apps, it gives you a smooth, customizable space to write and debug code.

💡 Check out this guide on using Copilot in VS Code to accelerate your coding with AI.

🛠 How to Get Started:

  1. Go to: https://code.visualstudio.com
  2. Click Download for your OS (Windows/Mac/Linux)
  3. Follow the installation instructions
  4. Open the editor and explore the Extensions tab (Ctrl + Shift + X) — install:
    • ✅ Python
    • ✅ Live Server
    • ✅ Prettier
    • ✅ GitHub Copilot

🎁 GitHub Copilot Pro is now included free with the GitHub Student Developer Pack.

👉 Refer to the next section to unlock this and more, just for being a student.

🐙 Step 2: Create a GitHub Account + Redeem the GitHub Student Developer Pack

Why?

Because GitHub is your project portfolio. It shows what you’ve built, how you collaborate, and that you understand version control — an essential skill in any real-world tech job.

🧑‍💻 How to Get Started:

  1. Visit: https://github.com
  2. Click Sign Up and create your account
  3. Use your university email ID if possible
  4. Verify your account and set it up
  5. Start uploading your projects — even small ones!

🎓 Claim Your GitHub Student Developer Pack

This pack is a must-have for students. It gives you free access to premium tools for coding, design, and development.

  1. Visit: https://education.github.com/pack
  2. Click Get Student Pack
  3. Sign in with GitHub
  4. Verify your student status:
    • Use a university email, or
    • Upload a student ID

🧰 What You'll Unlock:

  • ✅ GitHub Copilot Pro
  • ✅ Canva Pro
  • ✅ Overleaf Pro
  • ✅ Free .me domain from Namecheap
  • ✅ MongoDB Atlas, Replit Hacker Plan

🧠 Want to turn your projects into a startup someday? Explore Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub to get free cloud credits, technical mentorship, and more.

📌 Pro Tip: Pin your best repositories and add solid README files. Clean profiles attract attention!

👩‍💼 Step 3: Create and Set Up Your LinkedIn Profile

Why?

Because when someone looks you up, your LinkedIn is usually the first thing they see. A strong profile helps recruiters, mentors, and peers understand your goals and connect with you.

🔧 Steps to Set It Up:

  1. Go to https://linkedin.com
  2. Sign up using your email
  3. Upload a clear, friendly profile photo
  4. Add:
    • ✅ University + Degree
    • ✅ Graduation year
    • ✅ Field of interest (e.g., AI, Web Dev, UX Design)

📝 Craft a Friendly "About" Section:

"Hi! I'm an engineering student passionate about AI, web development, and building things that solve real-world problems. Currently exploring new tools, collaborating on projects, and learning every day."

📌 Highlight:

  • ✅ Projects (with GitHub links)
  • ✅ Certifications (Coursera, NPTEL, Microsoft Learn)
  • ✅ Clubs or community contributions (e.g., Microsoft Reactor)
  • ✅ Skills (Python, Git, HTML, LaTeX…)

💬 Join the conversation and stay updated via Microsoft Tech Community

📄 Step 4: Create an Overleaf Account + Write an ATS-Friendly Resume in LaTeX

Why?

Because most companies use ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) to scan resumes. LaTeX resumes are clean, structured, and pass through filters effortlessly.

🤔 What is LaTeX?

LaTeX is a markup language used to create high-quality, professional documents — especially in research and development.

📋 How to Build Your Resume:

  1. Visit: https://overleaf.com
  2. Sign up (GitHub login is fine)
  3. Activate Overleaf Pro through the GitHub Student Pack

  4. Use templates like:

    • 📝 Awesome CV
    • 📝 Deedy Resume
    • 📝 Modern CV

  5. Edit and export your resume as a PDF

💼 Check out the Imagine Cup site to see how students around the world pitch their skills and ideas — a strong resume and GitHub presence makes all the difference.

🧠 Resume Tips:

🌐 Bonus: Build Your Portfolio Website

Why?

Because your portfolio gives you a personal space on the web to show off everything: resume, projects, blogs, and contact details.

Tools You Can Use:

  • 🖥 GitHub Pages or Replit
  • 🌍 Free domain via Namecheap (.me)
  • 🧰 Or use no-code tools like Canva Sites or Framer
  • 💡 Host cloud tools or AI demos with Microsoft Azure

🎯 Final Thoughts: You're Ready to Pitch Yourself

With:

  • ✅ VS Code — your developer workspace
  • ✅ GitHub — your code portfolio
  • ✅ LinkedIn — your professional identity
  • ✅ Overleaf Resume — your ATS-friendly first impression
  • ✅ (Optional) Portfolio — your personal brand

You're no longer just a student. You're a professional in progress, actively building in public.

✨ Start small. Be consistent. Keep updating.

And most importantly — never miss a chance to pitch yourself.

💬 Let’s Connect

Did this guide help you? Share your GitHub, LinkedIn, or resume setup in the comments!

Have questions? I’m happy to help — let’s grow together 💙

✍️ Written by: Deepthi Balasubramanian

  • © 2025 The Accessible AI Hub

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