University of San Diego’s Post

💡 I was sending warm wishes to an intern as she returns to school and thought 💭, "what professional piece of advice should I leave her with?" It got me thinking- in my career, what is my most important lesson learned and one I hope to impart to past/future staff, colleagues, and my own kiddos? After almost 20 years in the professional workforce, here's my BIGGEST lesson-learned, knowledge nugget: Don't underestimate the POWER of your network! In my early 20s, I wanted to get wherever I was going on my own two feet 🐾. I let a lot of doors 🚪 shut due to that strong, independent thinking, starting off with my Chicago Bulls internship after it ended. However, I have enjoyed (happily) the life of adventures (both personally and professionally) which took me around the world🌎, and certainly NOT in the most linear 📈 of career paths. But gradually, I (and my thick head) softened to the idea of ALLOWING people to help, refer, connect, and ultimately to share and become part of my network. As we all experience from one time to another, life likes to throw a 'monkey wrench 🔧' in our plans, and I found myself at the end of 2021, in changing circumstances. Over a decade ago, I had started my marketing career working with Ajay Kapare and Auna Emery. So when that 'monkey wrench' showed up, my network heard I was in search of a new role, they called me up, and within less than a day I had applied and accepted the role at ELLKAY. All my opportunities that I have been fortunate enough to get are always due to one network or another, to include that Bulls internship a long time ago🏀. Networks will and DO make a career.   So, what is your BIGGEST career lesson you've learned over the years to share with Ava McElmeel as she continues her final year in college?

In my second year of college, I stopped having fun and hanging out with my friends post college hours.    I found myself driven towards working at a corporate. I picked that route on my own, but did it really benefit me?   Navigating the Corporate Odyssey: It's Not All Coffee Breaks!  Let's break some stereotypes, shall we?    Many believe the corporate world is a race against the clock, a tiring marathon that sucks out all your energy. But hey, who's got time for the flip side? The stability & the network—the gems that a corporate haven can shower you with!  Speaking from my own journey, let's rewind to college days—yeah, I dove into the professional pool early, snatched an internship at Atkins. Fast forward to today, and I'm still riding this exhilarating wave over 1.5 years during education and after graduation.   Now, don't picture a couch potato, because it's been a journey fueled with learning, challenging, and revolutionizing a fresh team's processes. A pinch of research, a dash of brainpower, and voilà!    But here's the plot twist: Corporate doesn't mean collapsing at your desk every evening. It's about stepping into a stable arena, where every day crafts a stepping stone, whether it's for your startup dreams or your 9-to-5 story.    I wear a badge of honor for curating a handful of blog gems over these years. Imagine my thrill as they shone bright on the company's career page and dazzled fellow colleagues!    Ever thought of networking as your secret superhero power? That's me, joining forces with peers to weave their career tales. The inspiration? It's a two-way street. Their journeys fire up my motivation engine to whip up more of these empowering stories.    Each piece I've shaped holds a slice of my heart. It's like gazing at a constellation of success stories—a mix of climbing, achieving, and inspiring. Peek into the treasure chest—here are some glittering gems I've polished:   👉 https://lnkd.in/gb4vZbWn 👉 https://lnkd.in/gjp96Bkp 👉 https://lnkd.in/gtrJnJTQ 👉 https://lnkd.in/g_AFPBx9 👉 https://lnkd.in/g4Dy_qxM 👉 https://lnkd.in/g7Ctxw7J     So here's to debunking myths, embracing growth, and raising a toast to the journey—corporate, startup, and all things in between! 🥂 Kotamreddy Sai Sisira Kiran Patil Haima Haldar (She/Her) Somya Sharma Meshal Alrashed Ravi Muppala Abhinav Gupta Kajal Tilokani, APM PMQ, MBA, MCom, BEd., Akhilamba Venkatesh Sayani Dutta, IPMA-D #CorporateJourney #GrowthStories #insideatkins #graduation2023

10x visibility and impact on LinkedIn. How did he do it? Find out in Lindsey's latest Anatomy of a Win with Frank DiMeglio. Cheers to 10x'ing!! #clienttestimonials #cheerstosuccess #yourstory

🚀 The Key to Success: You're Never Too Cool for a Cold Email From scoring my first internship at Dannijo and Spring in New York, to scouting my first hires, to even last week-- a DM that led to a funding introduction, cold emails have been my friend. 🔑 The real secret? It's not just about hitting "send". It's about nurturing every response and fostering genuine, lasting relationships over years. TLDR: Turning the cold email into a warm friendship :) Many in my professional circle have known me for a decade now, and it's been about investing in those connections to foster growth. The magic truly happens when digital connections evolve into meaningful real-world relationships. When is the last time you reached out- COLD?

🚀 Thank you to everyone that joined us for our series, 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿, ft. Maria Pope, Head of Community at Carta. Maria studied business at Texas A&M University before starting her career at H. E. Butt Foundation. She then became a Program Manager at Black Girl Ventures, later transitioning to Head of Venture Growth & Partnerships at Republic, and is now the Head of Community at Carta. 🌟 Here are some highlights from Maria’s talk: 1. Your network is your net worth. It’s about having the right people around you who can support you through the ups and downs of your career. For example, Maria’s first job was created because of her relationship with a senior leader that she had nurtured for many years. 2. Advocate for yourself. No one else will, so you have to ask for what you need in order to be successful in your career—referrals, advice, compensation. Maria’s career progression was accelerated because she learned how to ask for what she needed and made it easy for others to support her. 3. Be proactive, not reactive. Maria emphasized the importance of "managing up" in her career—which involves making decisions easier for your boss or team. A big part of "managing up" involves being proactive and coming prepared to meetings, suggesting solutions, and staying ahead of responsibilities. This demonstrates reliability and strategic thinking, which can make you indispensable and open up opportunities. ▶️ Hear more of Maria's journey and insights here: https://lnkd.in/g3yy5MkB 🎨 Looking to break into UX design and product? Don't miss out on our next speaker, Meredith Johnstone (Director of Product Design at Alation) 📌 RSVP now for May 29th at 12pm PDT: https://lu.ma/pvyxfef8 #startups #students #tech #career #professionaldevelopment #internships

One of the lessons I wished I had learned earlier (and there are many) is how early and when to start working on a professional network or simply a network of likeminded people. I believe -and encourage- to start early, even if you haven’t graduated from High School yet:   -       The next generation has far more to share and sometimes completely different perspectives when us linkedin veterans. I happened to sit on an interview panel for US students who are applying for an exchange year in Germany. These students were amazing – thoughtful about the role of the United States and how US High School students may be perceived in the world (heavily centered on education and fast food) and their desire to give back to the community. Everything is  highly competitive whether in sports, education or even humanitarian engagement.   -       The issue of pressure and being the best (anything else than an A is unacceptable) early on is a problem. The competitiveness starts with the quality of the Elementary School, or rather, the quality of the student body and families. It’s right then when the networking starts, the “competitive advantage” … the ability to travel, to pay for  great summer camps, to learn from friends and parents. And that’s perhaps where networks like linkedin may play a very important role if used early on as you can build your own network, ask for advice, look for internships, find mentors.   Will see how it goes – my daughter Maxime, a 10th grade high school student, just started her linkedin profile. I personally love her engagement, thoughtfulness and desire to learn from others. Ways to go! The photo: getting ready for a fundraiser in Lake Placid. Conversation of the day back then: when you sell lemonade for a good cause, what really are you selling and what should be the price (should there be a price or should it be left open)?

Friday I spoke at Bear River High’s FBLA about an internship with the local Silicon Slopes chapter. I wasn’t a member of FBLA in high school. I went to like 2 meetings, which made it super fun to talk to these young people as an “outsider.” These kids are coming into a HELLA competitive job market, a system that gives degrees for jobs that don’t exist, and In my conversations with these students, not one of them considered the idea of being an “entrepreneur.” Every one of their parents worked in manufacturing at one of the 4 massive corporations in Tremonton. So they’re programmed that way. The problem is many of those jobs could be automated, or outsourced. Also many of those corporations aren’t building new plants here. So there’s NO JOBS, or very few jobs that pay well after they graduate high school or college in this area. (A near identical problem the town I grew up in) For this reason, I shared that they need to build their professional network. We all need it, but the youngest professionals need it more than ever. We need a network of people to help us find a job, get into the right college, start a business, sell our services or products, all of that. Communities that exist for the sole purpose of lifting those around them. That’s why Silicon Slopes exists. And why I’m involved locally. What are your thoughts on how we help prepare the next generation for the job market?

Are you ready to map your own network? Here is Frederik Bisbjerg’s process for mapping your network: A. Make a thorough list of people you know in your life. You can do this by considering each relationship category and listing everyone you can think of who could potentially know a way of helping you: Family Friends and contact lists Alumni at all different levels of schooling Teachers and mentors Work, business and internships colleagues Church, mosque and other community organizations LinkedIn and social media Sports, arts or other interest-based communities you’ve engaged with Business cards you have collected over time B. Gauge how close you are to each contact, and create 3 lists; Inner circle Middle circle Outer circle C. Evaluate how each of the different contacts might be able to help you reach your goals and how you might tailor the message to them if you reach out to them.

Are you in your mid-twenties and struggling to find the right career that doesn't give you Monday blues? You're not alone! It's normal to feel confused about what you want to do with your life. Adulting isn't easy, but here are a few tips that have helped me navigate this maze: ▪️Explore your interests and passions through internships, extracurricular projects, or volunteering. ▪️Network with professionals in various fields to gain insights and perspectives. ▪️Don't be afraid to "hit and try" because you won't know until you try. ▪️Seek guidance from career mentors for additional help. Remember, it's never too late to discover your passion. In the end, nobody wants to grow old with a career that was only there to pay the bills. #careerconfusion #careertips #Midtwenties #careerjourney #careergrowth

And our one millionth member is... 🥁🥁🥁 Abel Ighavbota 🎉 We are absolutely thrilled to welcome you! Abel is a second year student at the University of Kent and recently joined our network as our 1,000,000th member. Abel visited Bright Network HQ last week to meet the team and have lunch with our CEO & Founder James Uffindell, where they discussed his career aspirations and what motivated him to join the Bright Network platform. Here’s what they chatted about: ⭐ With his second year of university bringing pressures around securing internships, a friend recommended he sign up to the Bright Network platform ⭐ How the platform acts as a family member, recommending roles he might be interested in, reminding him to submit applications on time and offering tips and advice on his career ⭐ Common ground around entrepreneurialism and how he’s interested in the world of business, with inspiration from his Dad, who ran his own, driving him to study Business Analytics at university Every new member on the Bright Network platform represents a new career journey and a new individual story that we can impact through our mission to connect the next generation with the opportunities, insights and advice to succeed. From our conversation with Abel, we’re certain he will be yet another inspiring success story. Thank you to Abel and all our bright, talented members for being part of this journey. #OneMillionMembers #CareerJourneys #IndividualStories #ImpactedLives #EarlyCareers