What digital platforms are students currently using to develop their professional network?
Currently, I believe a huge platform that is reinventing networking in a professional aspect is LinkedIn. Having an account is vital for anyone trying to network and gain opportunities. I am in the BCom program and in COM 204: Co-op Preparation, we are diving into a network section primarily centered around LinkedIn. It can be seen as an application that allows you to showcase your resume while also being able to outreach others and allow others to find you. Having a LinkedIn account is almost a necessity in today’s online professional networking world!
What could the student consider in expanding their professional learning network?
Well, to reiterate, definitely creating a LinkedIn account will allow students to expand in ways that they might not even know. I personally have been able to build connections with individuals who are involved in my dream career and making these connections opens the window to work/experience opportunities that may not have been possible. However, although I rave about the use of LinkedIn (it’s like Facebook for professionals!!!), there’s an abundance of different ways to expand your professional learning network (whether it’s online or not). I think a good idea to keep in mind is connections. Being on forums and in groups is good but if you aren’t making these lasting and genuine connections, professionally it’s harder to get what you may be looking for. Professionally and personally, we appreciate someone taking interest in us and the things we know, so by reaching out we can build these lasting and strong professional networks that provide us with genuine outcomes.
Hi Ali,
I agree that LinkedIn is a great source for students trying to expand their professional outlook. I have a friend also in BCom and I think that LinkedIn is very resourceful since you can see the number of times your profile was searched and by which companies. Connections are extremely valuable and LinkedIn helps turn conversations into big opportunities and careers. Good luck with your Co-op 🙂
I like your V&R map, and I have noticed that you put Instagram on both the personal and institutional sides. I am wondering if you could tell me more about using Instagram for your PLN.
I am wondering if you have read this article https://kinsta.com/blog/linkedin-statistics/. In this article, many aspects of statistics have been presented about how people use Linkedin. We can find that people use Linkedin not only to present themselves by adding personal information but also to recruit employees and to seek potential clients, which means that it really has many functions and can be quite beneficial if people try to explore its functions.
I very much agree with your point of view. LinkedIn is indeed a very good digital platform to develop a professional network of students. In a group work, I used LINKEDIN to discuss with group members and found that LinkedIn makes it easy for group members to familiarize themselves with each other and complete assignments faster and more effectively.