Fueler vs LinkedIn: Best Portfolio for College Students

Still relying on a traditional resume or just your LinkedIn profile to get noticed?

In today’s fast-moving job market, that’s not enough, especially for college students trying to land their first gig. Recruiters now want to see what you can do, not just read what you say you can. And that’s where proof of work becomes your biggest asset.

I’m Riten, founder of Fueler- a platform that helps freelancers and professionals get hired through their proof of work. In this article, I’ll walk you through the key differences between LinkedIn and Fueler and why Fueler is the smarter choice for college students in 2025. Beyond skills, it’s about how you present your work. Your portfolio isn’t just a bunch of projects’s your proof of skill, your credibility, and your shortcut to trust. Here’s the difference between LinkedIn and Fueler.

Why Your Portfolio Matters More Than Ever in 2025

College students today face a huge challenge: standing out. With thousands graduating every year with similar degrees, recruiters no longer rely only on resumes. They want to see real-world work, not just theoretical knowledge.

This is where your portfolio becomes your competitive edge. But the platform you choose to build it on makes all the difference.

Let’s compare the two most common platforms used by students, LinkedIn and Fueler, to understand which one helps you land work in 2025.

Fueler: Built for “Proof of Work”

Fueler is not just a portfolio platform, it’s a project-first ecosystem where companies come to hire based on actual work. Whether you're into design, marketing, writing, development, or any digital skill, Fueler lets you show, not tell.

Features of Fueler:

• Showcase Real Work: Upload completed projects, assignments, case studies, or freelance gigs that showcase your skills.
• Explain the Process: Go beyond the outcome. Share how you tackled the problem, what tools you used, and the results you achieved. Document each step of working on the project.
• Build Custom Portfolios: Have multiple skills? If you are a writer who draws or a designer who loves making podcasts, you can make a custom portfolio showing only one niche of work and get it’s unique link.
• Discoverability Built-In: Projects get listed in Fueler's Discover section, helping you get noticed by companies searching by skill.

👉 Read about why proof of work matters, read this: What is Proof of Work in Career

Why It Matters for College Students

In 2025, getting hired is about your proof of work, not just effort. Fueler showcases your skills in the most direct and trust-building way possible. Whether you're looking for internships, freelance gigs, or your first job, Fueler helps companies hire you through assignments, not just interviews.

LinkedIn: The Classic Networking Tool

LinkedIn has been around for decades. It’s the world’s largest professional network. And it’s great for building connections, following industry leaders, and sharing updates.

But when it comes to showcasing skills, it’s limited.

Features of LinkedIn:

• Resume-Style Profile: Add your education, experience, and list your skills.
• Media Attachments: You can attach projects or links, but they’re not structured or highlighted well.
• Endorsements and Recommendations: People can vouch for your skills, but it's not the same as demonstrating them.
• Professional Network Building: Follow professionals, companies, and connect with people in your field.

Why It’s Not Enough in 2025

Recruiters browsing LinkedIn are seeing thousands of similar profiles every day. With no strong proof of execution, most student profiles blend into the crowd. LinkedIn helps you get discovered, but not necessarily hired.

Why Fueler is a Better Fit for College Students

1. Companies Want To See How You Think

Fueler allows you to explain how you did the work. It’s not just about saying “I did X.” It’s about showing why and how you did it. This is gold for hiring managers.

2. Recruiters Are Using Assignments To Hire

At Fueler, we’ve seen a massive rise in assignment-based hiring. Companies are giving real tasks to evaluate candidates. If you already have similar tasks done and uploaded, you’re ahead.

3. Custom Portfolios for Different Opportunities

Whether it’s a design internship, a social media freelance gig, or your first developer job, you can create targeted project collections on Fueler. LinkedIn doesn’t offer this flexibility.

4. Proof of Work Is the New Currency

When you showcase actual work like articles, marketing campaigns, app designs, you build trust. 

Fueler in Action: Strategic Promotion Moment

Thousands of college students, freelancers, and even IIT-IIM graduates are choosing Fueler over traditional platforms. Why? Because Fueler helps companies hire through an assignment. Recruiters see real projects and know you can deliver, not just talk. This is how real-world hiring now works.

How to Smartly Use Both

LinkedIn is useless. In fact, the smart move is to use both platforms together.

• Keep your LinkedIn profile clean, optimised, and active
• Link your Fueler portfolio in your LinkedIn bio
• Showcase your Fueler proof of work through LinkedIn.
• This shows you’re both present and prepared

Build, Document, and Show

2025 is not about who you know. It’s about what you’ve done. As a college student, the most valuable thing you can do is start building your proof of work right now.

Don’t wait till placements. Every project you do, every skill you learn, document it, showcase it, and let it work for you.

Because when opportunity knocks, your portfolio speaks louder than your resume.

FAQs

1. Which is better for college students: Fueler or LinkedIn?

Fueler is better for showcasing actual work like projects, assignments, and freelance gigs, while LinkedIn is better for networking. For college students trying to land internships or freelance gigs based on skills, Fueler is more effective because it focuses on proof of work.

2. Can Fueler replace LinkedIn for building a student portfolio?

Fueler doesn't replace LinkedIn, it complements it. While LinkedIn is great for professional networking, Fueler is specifically built for displaying your work and projects, which is what most recruiters want to see from students today.

3. Why is Fueler considered a better portfolio platform than LinkedIn in 2025?

Fueler focuses on project-based hiring. It allows students to share real assignments, explain their process, and highlight outcomes. LinkedIn, in contrast, works more like a resume and doesn’t offer the same depth or flexibility in portfolio presentation.

4. How do recruiters use Fueler differently from LinkedIn?

Recruiters on Fueler hire through assignments. They browse actual work samples and reach out based on proven skills. On LinkedIn, hiring is mostly based on resumes, job history, and recommendations, not hands-on work examples.

5. Can I use both LinkedIn and Fueler together for my student portfolio?

Yes, and it's highly recommended. Keep your LinkedIn profile professional and updated, and then link your Fueler portfolio in your bio or featured section. This gives you the best of both worlds, visibility and credibility.

What is Fueler Portfolio?

Fueler is a career portfolio platform that helps companies find the best talents for their organization based on their proof of work.

You can create your portfolio on Fueler, thousands of freelancers around the world use Fueler to create their professional-looking portfolios and become financially independent. Discover inspiration for your portfolio

Sign up for free on Fueler or get in touch to learn more.