Two professionals from ADM led an interactive workshop on the must-do’s and should-not’s of developing a LinkedIn profile for professional use.
Lori Racine and Katy Mize work for the Career Services Department at ADM. They were the two speakers at the event and kept the entire session very informal and conversational in an attempt to put audience members at ease. This helped establish a comfortable environment and questions were not only permitted, but heavily encouraged. They kicked off the workshop with an icebreaker quiz to introduce the audience to important LinkedIn statistics and to familiarize them more with the vital role the platform plays in the current professional landscape.
“LinkedIn is a vital part of each student’s career portfolio. Each Millikin student and any working professional should have at all times an updated resume, two or three cover letters based on the specific job one is applying for, between two and four established references, the ability and skill set to answer the top ten typical interview questions and a 5-star LinkedIn profile,” Lindy Taylor, Millikin’s Specialist for Career Success and Professional Development, said. “My role at Millikin is to help students create this Career portfolio and give them a complete set of skills so they can approach the job search process with confidence.”
Taylor was the main organizer of the event and it was important to make this resource available to all students because of the infinite potential LinkedIn has as a means of networking with those in a specific field. It is useful to anyone despite their major, interests, or stage in their professional journey, there is something for everyone. Opportunities like this arm students with the tools they need to be successful as they attempt to gain knowledge about their fields, find internships, and even employment.
“We are just trying to empower them and give them the confidence so that they know how to network, how to prepare themselves for interviews and get summer and full time jobs,” Racine said.
Racine and Mize’s five main takeaways they wanted to leave audience members with was to polish up your profile with friendly pictures and appropriate images, use a current full name, show genuine passion, share useful content, and be yourself. Ciara Collins, a Digital Media Marketing major, attended the workshop and is determined to implement some of the strategies when she uses her LinkedIn account. She was particularly excited to network with Millikin alumni and make sure her picture aligns with the guidelines discussed.
“I do think it is important for students to attend these types of workshops. They really help you nail down those parts of school that may not be specifically taught,” Collins said. “Workshops also help you with your professional career and offer you a place to start.”
ADM uses the same presentation Racine and Mize gave and shares it with all of their interns. ADM, as of now, will have three Millikin interns over the summer. They also use workshops like these as a means of recruitment and education about all the career paths ADM has to offer. They hire for all sorts of positions outside of the agricultural realm, which is what many people associate them with. They hire individuals in accounting, engineering, sales, IT, and offer many other career paths.
“We want you not just to come to ADM, you can go to any job, any profession not just Decatur, across the state, across the country. We want you to be prepared. Of course, we wish it was with us. But you know, it doesn’t have to be,” Mize said. “There’s several opportunities in all different businesses and professions, we just want to get them prepared. And know that we helped them do that.”
There are lots of great professional skill-building opportunities at Millikin that will be happening in the near future. If you missed out on the LinkedIn workshop, don’t worry, you can still get involved with an upcoming event. On December 13th, there will be a resume and cover letter workshop. In February, there will be a “Dress To Impress” event and career fair. Later in the spring, there will be an interview skills workshop that will most likely be composed of a series of smaller sessions.
“My hope is as I continue my efforts at Millikin, hosting more workshops, making more contact with students, faculty and staff that more students will become familiar with my role at Millikin and the services the Career Center provides,” Taylor said. “Approaching any project or challenge is always more effective when one feels confident and prepared.”
