A LinkedIn profile can be a pretty handy addition to your life. With around 500 million members, chances are the companies and employers you want to attract are out there somewhere. That also means there are close to 500 million potential competitors also vying for their attention, so you need to play smart by giving off all the right signals. Here are some useful steps for snaring your top target:

Studying at a University and obtaining a degree can sometimes seem unattainable - financially, academically and socially. This is fortunately becoming an ever-growing myth. In a globalised, modern world, the options available are becoming increasingly broader and exciting. “How?”, “Why?” and “What are my options?” should be questions you ask yourself when you’re thinking about your opportunities after completing a BTEC Higher National. Hopefully, I’ll help you realise that anything is possible when it comes to Higher Education.

Ask job seekers what they find the most tedious part of the application process and the answer is usually asking for references. Dreary as the process may seem, having the right people to backup your application is one of the most important elements of the process. Indeed, research shows that 85% of employers check at least one reference before offering a role to a candidate. As with everything in life, there is a certain knack to collating references that should make the process run smoother for all those involved. Here are our main DOs and DON'Ts for optimum referee management:

Terri Lyne Carrington is a GRAMMY award-winning drummer, educator and producer and was the first woman to win the Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album. She has worked with an extensive and highly impressive catalogue of outstanding artists – Wayne Shorter, Al Jarreau, Stan Getz, Esperanza Spalding, Chaka Khan, to name a few – and has won three Grammys in total so far. I caught up with her to talk to her about life as a musician in today’s industry and to ask if she had any advice and guidance for Higher National Music students.

Intercultural skills are all about being able to communicate effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds. They play a central role in creating successful team and client relationships, and are therefore valued highly by employers.

The word talent gets used an awful lot. Perhaps the best modern example of the words ingraining into our everyday lives and culture is demonstrated on so called ‘talent shows’, where the judges are looking to find the next big talent. Every now and again a person walks on stage in one of these shows completely bewildering the audience with their ability. We then conclude that this person has a mystical gift only some people are lucky enough to be born with or inherit. Never has the iceberg illusion been so apparent; it’s easy to see the ice above the water and not the colossal foundation it’s built upon.

If you are applying for jobs but not being invited for interviews, it could be that your CV is too generic. Feedback from recruiters often focuses on the need to be as specific as possible when writing about your career achievements.

Nate Williams is a multi-instrumentalist, writer, producer, arranger, artist and part-time teacher. He has worked with some incredible musicians including Eliza Doolittle, Markus Feehily (Westlife), Vula Malinga (Basement Jaxx) Joss Stone, Katy B and has just finished touring with Jamiroquai - Keys, Guitar, BVs.Drums

Most of us will have tried our hand at gaming at some point in our lives. For some of us, it might have grown into a long-standing hobby while others might have realised pretty quickly that it just wasn't for them. Whatever your sentiments towards gaming as a pastime, have you ever considered the value it may add to your professional life?

Whether you’re thinking about starting your own blog, creating a Youtube channel, promoting a business, or embarking on a career in marketing and communications - there is one common denominator that will lead to success. The answer is understanding how to tell a story that will appeal to your target audience.