Alumni

10 things to avoid when building your LinkedIn profile!

LinkedIn image

It’s natural to feel unsure about a professional social media network like LinkedIn. It’s a place where people in all industries can go to build relationships with their colleagues and demonstrate their experience and expertise. It’s also a place where businesses and organizations can show off their work to prospective clients, customers, and even future employees.

The absolute last thing you want to do is to look like you don’t know what you are doing!

Here are some things to avoid when building your professional profile:

  1. Not understanding the difference between a LinkedIn Company Page and a LinkedIn Profile. There are two ways for you to demonstrate your expertise on LinkedIn. With a Company Page, you’ll be communicating as your business. This is similar to a Facebook Business Page, where prospective clients can learn more about your business. However, it is much more focused on informing your audience rather than building a community like you would on Facebook.
    With your LinkedIn Profile, you’ll be communicating as an individual rather than a business. Here you’ll connect with clients, colleagues, and other members of your professional network.
    Mixing this up is a guaranteed way to look foolish when starting out.
  2. Not having a profile photo. This might seem like a no-brainer, but not having a photo can have a big impact on the overall appearance of your profile. Even worse is using an unprofessional profile photo! Quirky photos that might fly on Facebook are not a good choice on LinkedIn. Keep your headshot professional.
  3. Not completing your entire profile. Having an incomplete profile not only looks lazy, but it also doesn’t portray all of the amazing credentials and experience you have. Show them off!
  4. Not including a personalized message. With every invitation you send to connect, you should always include a personal message. This is the place to add that little something extra. A personalized note goes a long way because it makes your invitation feel genuine.
  5. Not posting appropriate content. LinkedIn is a professional social networking site. The type of content you’d post on Facebook, might not be appropriate on LinkedIn. Keep content professional and relevant.
  6. Not proofreading your posts. An extra comma here and a misspelled word there may not seem like a big deal, but it does make you look less professional. Keep posts as grammatically sound as possible.
  7. Not being selective about the connections you accept. The people you choose to connect with are a representation of who you are. Don’t accept just anyone. Make sure you know who they are and their credentials.
  8. Sending too many requests = poor LinkedIn etiquette. Don’t bombard people with request after request. It gets annoying. You also want to be choosey about the people you request to connect with.
  9. Embellishing your responsibilities and accomplishments. Plain and simple, it’s just better not to embellish. Plus, I’m sure you have plenty of experience to show off. Tell people about it all!
  10. Not sharing rich media (i.e. links, videos, infographics, slideshare etc.) Take advantage! It’s an engaging, fun way to attract people to your profile!

Remember that professional networking sites, such as LinkedIn, have become a valuable place to find new employees, employers or clients, reconnect and strengthen relationships with friends and former colleagues, and get career-related advice.

What do you think about our list? Did we miss anything? Share your thoughts!

Advice to New Algonquin College Students from an Alum

Looking back to when I started at the School of Business at Algonquin College it seems like time flew by so quickly during those years.

I made some amazing memories and of course had my ups and downs, but now I just focus on all of the good memories I’ve made. I wouldn’t change my college experience for anything and want to share some of my tips for success.

new college students

Get Involved

Part of the learning during your time in College happens outside of classes. By getting involved with the various clubs on campus, such as the Accounting Club, you develop leadership skills that are valuable to future employers. You also can put into practice some of the skills you are learning in class. For example, you could join the Algonquin Entrepreneurs Club and learn how to build your own profitable company.

Meet New People

College is a great place to make life-long friends who share the same passions and interests as you. It’s also an opportunity to meet people who are different from you and share an alternative perspective on things. Take time for others and work on your friendships; these are what really matter at the end of the day!

Take Time for Yourself

Studying and holding down a part time job can get overwhelming, especially during exam time! Be sure that every once in a while you take a “personal day”. Take a break from every day tasks and relax. Have a pjs/jogging pants day and lounge while reading a book for pleasure. Taking these mental breaks will actually help you focus better on your studies. Just be sure not to take too many days off! 🙂

Study Hard

College can be difficult! Classes are harder than high school. It seems like you have more free time but that can be deceiving. While you should take some personal time (see above) it’s equally as important to be serious about your studies. You’ll be much happier graduating college with job offers, than your peers who skipped class and are sitting around on their parents’ couch.

HAVE FUN!

Above all, have fun! Get involved and meet new people, take time for yourself but balance that with serious studying. Enjoy every moment and look for opportunities to grow personally and professionally.

Career Networking Fair February 12 + 10 Tips for Career Fair Success

Don’t miss out on Algonquin College’s largest on-campus recruitment event! The Career Networking Fair is being held on Tuesday February 12 from 11am to 3pm in the Gymnasium. The fair features over 50 employers with full-time employment opportunities for graduates and soon-to-be graduates, as well as summer employment opportunities for students. There are many opportunities for School of Business students and grads so brush up your resumes and take advantage of this great event!

This annual fair is put on by the Employment Support Centre, one of the many resources we have here at Algonquin to assist students with career preparation and job searching. Their website has tons of tips and advice for job seekers on how to:

There is also a great article featuring 10 tips for a successful career fair experience.

  1. Wear suitable interview attire
  2. Bring several copies of your professional, up-to-date resume
  3. Plan to arrive early
  4. Carry a folder or portfolio; avoid bulky backpacks
  5. Bring paper, pens, and business cards so you can easily exchange contact information with employers
  6. Visit booths on your own, not as part of a group
  7. Prepare a 30 second elevator pitch – outline your education, skills, experience, and the type of job you want
  8. Research the top 3-5 companies you are interested in before you go
  9. Don’t be afraid to ask questions
  10. Keep an open mind! Consider all employers as a potential contact no matter what the industry

Above all, treat career fairs as a serious job searching opportunity. Prepare, be professional, and put your best foot forward!

#ACgradchat on Twitter Gives Marketing Students Plenty of Good Advice!

When Business – Marketing Professor Patti Church put the word out that she was looking for a few alumni to participate in a Twitter chat on Wednesday Januray 16 to provide some career advice to her students, she never expected this type of response.

Within about 45 minutes – slightly over the original time budget of 30 minutes – over 160 tweets were generated between everyone from recent graduates, alumni who attended the College over a dozen years ago, and even President Kent MacDonald! The advice was varied but also gave some great insight into how some of our most successful alumni got to where they are today.

“Embrace and be willing to invest in change,” said Jay Scotland, Morning Meteorologist for CBC National News and Radio Broadcasting graduate. “I invested in more school.” Jay’s advice also mentioned the importance of volunteering, the ability to meet deadlines, and he suggested the soon-to-be graduates job shadow someone in their field…advice which another participant promptly acted upon by asking Jay if they could job shadow him!

William Murray, another participant in the chat who is currently teaching in Business & Tourism on the east coast and graduated from Algonquin College in Hospitality & Tourism in 1996, suggested the students should, “take on a sponge-like attitude around new knowledge & techniques but create your own individual style.” He echoed advice given by Jay and Algonquin College Transfer Student Coordinator Jeremy McQuigge in reinforcing the importance of volunteering, networking, and connecting with new people.

Among the other graduates who participated were Brandon Waselnuk, User Experience Program Manager at IBM, Samantha Hartley, PR & Marketing expert, Jeff Mauler, Hot 89.9 Morning Show Host, Stu “Stuntman Stu” Schwartz, Majic 100 Morning Show Host, Liz Babiak, Social Media Community Officer at Algonquin College, Jason Connell, Digital Recruiter at Algonquin College, and Phil Gaudreau, Communications Officer at Algonquin College (yours truly!). The chat was so popular that it attracted some outside attention from organizations such as United Way Ottawa, the Canadian Public Relations Society Ottawa-Gatineau Chapter, and the International Association of Business Communicators Ottawa, and from Scott Stratten, President of “UnMarketing”.

The feedback from the students was excellent, and it looks like many took the advice to heart as they immediately started reaching out to those participating in the chat! It was a great experience and we hope to have many more sessions in the future.

Phil Gaudreau
Communications Officer, Algonquin College

Alumni Spotlight: Brandon Waselnuk

Meet Brandon Waselnuk.

Brandon is a graduate of the two-year Business – Marketing program. He is currently working as a User Experience Manager at IBM. Sounds cool right? His job involves:

  • Development and management of a User Research program across the world
  • Business and Marketing strategy and implementation of a User Experience training program
  • Evangelism of User Experience and Design as drivers for today’s buying agenda

Brandon is also an accomplished blogger and business and marketing strategy speaker. He also manages to find time to volunteer for United Way Ottawa on the NextGen Cabinet and work as a teaching assistant for the School of Business.

Below is one of Brandon’s recent blogs: Strategy is not a one person show. You can view more of Brandon’s work or book him for a speaking engagement at BrandonWaselnuk.com.

Strategy is not a one person show by Brandon Waselnuk

When we’re in the weeds working toward a timeline, or trying to ship on a deliverable, we sometimes forget that there’s a whole team around us. Those of us who have the pleasure of working on strategy, either marketing or business, know how crazy it can be sometimes. It’s not a simple “put in 4 hours of work, get out 10 pages”. In fact, strategy and business planning of any kind more closely resembles the creative process to me.

Here is my best advice for all you strategists out there.

Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

Get out of the tower!

As strategists, we are sometimes accused of sitting in our ‘ivory tower’ and dictating strategy to our company, basically acting like bullies who tell people what to do simply because it’s “the strategy”. But guess what? If your employees don’t believe in it, your strategy sucks

Yes, I said it. It freaking sucks.

It’s true that certain people have a gift for thinking strategically, just like in creative pursuits. These people should be working on the first draft and getting the work started, but like all good business you have to experiment, test and re-test.

Ship your strategy out to your staff, colleagues, advisors, and mentors.

Make sure everyone gets the chance to see it before you slap that FINAL sticker on it. Take the advice you’ll ask for and inevitably receive. Some of you will think “Well, what if it’s crap advice? What if they just don’t know enough about the big picture?”

You have the right to choose what advice you keep, but just ensure that you recognize everyone’s input, thank them for it, and then choose the best path for your company. Besides, most employees get the big picture, so don’t inflate your ego.

Overall, when invited to participate, your team will have a greater chance of buying into the final strategy and it will lead to greater success for you and your company.

So, will you get your team involved?