Where does WIT Work?

By: Becky Smith


Using LinkedIn to Identify Receptive Alumni, Students & Employers Around the Globe

Networking is a crucial part of any job search…and it is especially important if you are entering a challenging job market! Get started by locating and talking with alumni and students from your major who have done co-ops or jobs related to your interests.

Why Search for Alumni on LinkedIn

1) it is easy to sort by major and see what a targeted group of people have been doing

2) your shared experience from college is an effective way for you to introduce yourself

3) it can help you to identify opportunities in a specific geographic area (home, or a less familiar city/state)

How to Locate Alumni Information on LinkedIn

To find alumni on LinkedIn, go to the School Page: Type our university name in the search bar on your LinkedIn homepage. Make sure you select the School Page, not a Company Page, Showcase, or Group.

Pro Tip: You can do this for any university or school, even if you were never a student there! Try this to get data on alumni in a specific geographic area outside of Boston, or to see where students from another college are working.

Search "Wentworth Institute of..." into LinkedIn search bar

Next, click on “Alumni”.

Select "Alumni" tab

Filter Search Results to Find Companies of Interest, Potential Contacts, and More

Alumni information is categorized by filters such as where they live, where they work, what they do, and what they studied. These lists display top results under each category; we strongly recommend that you also use the search bar above these lists to look for specific cities, companies, etc. if they do not appear in the lists. At the bottom of the page is a display of alumni who meet the criteria.

Other helpful searches: Adjust the date range depending on whether you are seeking young alumni to chat with, or more experienced alumni who are now managers; and search by company name, job title, skills, or any other details.

Pro Tips: Click Next to see more filters. Click Show More to see the entire list under any category.

Filter results

Alumni/Student Profiles

Profile summaries are displayed at the bottom of the page. Click on them to see full details such as:

  • Where has the person worked?
  • What job titles have they had?
  • What skills do they have listed?

NOTE: ALWAYS send a personalized message when you invite someone to connect on LinkedIn. It establishes your credibility and makes that individual more likely to respond.

Pro Tip: An invitation to connect is also an opportunity to message back and forth, even if you do not actually connect!

"Connect" on LinkedIn

A Guide to Personal Branding

By: Hadley Hopkins

Hi there! I’m Hadley Hopkins the marketing intern here at CO-OPS + CAREER. As an advertising student, I am very concerned with branding. Not only of the brands I work for but also my own personal brand. Below I am going to walk you through the steps of how to brand yourself by using my own professional life as a model, so you can learn a little about me and a lot about creating your own personal brand.

You may be thinking, ‘what is a personal brand and why do I need one?’ A personal brand is a combination of your skills and experiences that make you who you are. So technically, you already have one, but by shaping it into a clear message you will be more confident in your strengths and potential employers will easily be able to see who you are and what you stand for.

Find Your Strengths

The first step to creating your brand is to evaluate your strengths. I did this by making a list of my best qualities including character traits as well as industry related skills. I tried to think of traits that are unique to me and would make me stand out:

  • Teamwork
  • Flexible
  • Multi-tasking
  • Teachable
  • Strategic thinker
  • Logo design
  • Making GIFs
  • Branding

Once you have you have your list of attributes it is important to think of evidence to support these claims. Recall situations or experiences that prove these traits are a strength, for example:

Multi-tasking/flexible – At my past internship, I was working on a design project that was interrupted because my supervisor realized a flyer needed to go out to print by the end of the day to be done in time for the event. So, I began working on that project but then had to stop in the middle to go take pictures of an event that was taking place. Although I took on many projects at once I was able to prioritize to give each one the attention it needed to finish everything in a timely manner.

Logo design – I have created various logo designs for different companies, clubs and organizations

Share Your Story

Another aspect of your brand that you will want to focus on is your story. How did you get to where you are? What makes you passionate about your field?  This allows people to know you on an emotional level and not just as a list of your accomplishments and skills. For me, I like to tell the story of how I decided to study advertising:

Advertising and graphic design have been a passion of mine since I created, branded and marketed my own energy drink “Spazz” for my 7th grade technology class.  I found the balance of creativity and logistic to be the perfect mix for my analytical yet artsy mind.

Show Off Your Quirks

An additional way to make your brand seem more personal is by showing off your quirks. These habits make you who you are and can add some “spice” to your brand. For me, the fact that I am a southerner now living in Boston makes for interesting tidbits, as well as my passion for different cultures:

I may be from Georgia, but I have definitely adopted the New England lifestyle. You can catch me sporting my Red Sox hat, and ‘Bean Boots with a Dunkin’ in hand but I will never give up saying y’all. I love all things food, travel and art.

Find Your “Take-away”

Once you have figured out the main aspects of your brand you will be able to create a key take-away that embodies everything you want to express to potential employers:

“I am an analytical, yet creative thinker who is flexible and has a passion for creating meaningful work that helps enhance a brand.”

Although you will probably never be asked in an interview what your mission statement is, this key takeaway can give you direction for materials that future employers will see such as your resume, cover letter, portfolio and LinkedIn profile.  When creating these materials, it is important to ask yourself: ‘does this align with my brand and is my mission statement well represented?’

Another way to strengthen your brand is through the look of your materials. It’s important that your resume, cover letter, portfolio, and LinkedIn profile are cohesive. I suggest sticking with the same font across all materials and make sure you use the same header for both your resume and cover letter. This will help future employers recognize you better across all platforms.

Here is an example of my LinkedIn profile:

Example of LinkedIn Profile

And an example of my resume that I feel represent my brand:

Example Resume

Creating a personal brand takes time and effort but is totally worth it!  With these steps I hope you can create a brand that is uniquely your own and will help you stand out to employers.

As always, we encourage you to stop by CO-OPS + CAREERS to discuss your questions with a Co-op + Career Advisor. You can make an appointment or swing by fall drop-in hours every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 1:30 – 4:00 PM. Our office is located at 101 Wentworth Hall.

Feel free to contact us via email at coopsandcareers@wit.edu, or call us at 617-989-4101. We look forward to connecting with you soon!

Creating an All-Star Profile on LinkedIn

By Ria Kalinowski

Bringing your LinkedIn profile to an All-Star (or complete) level is important because profiles that are complete show up higher in search results. If you want to be found by recruiters, fill out your entire profile. It’s important not only to complete your profile but to include key words that recruiters are searching for. Check out the key words employers are using in relevant job postings for some ideas.

Decorative Image

Grab Their Attention!

LinkedIn search results show your name, photo, and headline so it is important to include a professional photo (visit the LinkedIn photo booth at the next Wentworth Co-op + Career Fair!) and create a unique headline to grab peoples’ attention. When crafting your headline, think about where you hope to take your career as well the skills you have to offer. Headlines like, “Student at Wentworth” don’t give enough information or distinguish you from the 4,000 other Wentworth students. Adding your major or target industry helps but use the available 120 characters to take it a step further by sharing your skills or interests. Be careful to avoid spelling errors and stay away from these overused LinkedIn buzzwords!

Sample student LinkedIn headlines:

  • Former NASA Intern. Future Investment Technologist.
  • Electrical Engineering Student, Future Systems Engineer.
  • Computer Engineering Student | Former Systems Engineering Co-op at Vestmark | Laptop Repair Technician
  • Industrial Design Student at Wentworth ● Future Model Maker ● SolidWorks ● Shoe Design
  • Currently seeking full time position in logistics/supply chain or construction project management/estimating.

Tell Your Story

Use your summary to add personality to your profile and tell your story. Use all 2,000 characters to talk about what you are passionate about and how that aligns with your career interests. Recruiters use key word searches to find relevant candidates. Profiles that include the key words recruiters are searching for show up higher in search results, however, an overabundance of repeated words may get your profile filtered out as spam. When writing your summary, keep in mind that viewers only see the first two lines of your summary unless they select, “See more”. Check out summaries of co-op colleagues you admire or look up alumni profiles for ideas.

Here are some questions to get you started:

  • Why did you pick your major?
  • What is your dream job?
  • What are your key technical and non-technical skills?
  • What type of work environment do you thrive in?

Make (and Keep) It Relevant

Now that your dream recruiter has found you and their interest is piqued, show them you have the necessary skills to encourage them to reach out. Include any co-ops or jobs in your experience section highlighting technical and transferable skills relevant to your target industry. Add skills, coursework, and projects. If you have a portfolio or personal website include the link in your summary section. Upload your resume to your summary section as well. Request recommendations from past colleagues, classmates, or professors. Join groups and follow relevant companies. These show up in your interest section. Update your LinkedIn profile every semester just like you would your resume. Add new projects, experiences, and skills you have gained.

Customize your URL

Once your LinkedIn profile is complete, add your URL to the contact information on your resume. But FIRST, make sure to remove that long stream of numbers after your name. Go to your profile and click on “Edit public profile & URL” in the upper right-hand corner. Next, visit the “Edit URL” section in the upper right-hand corner and click on the blue pencil next to your URL. Remove the numbers and make your URL unique to you!

Once your profile is complete, make some connections! Connect with past and current colleagues, classmates, and professors. The number of relevant connections you have will help you show up higher in search results as well. According to LinkedIn, “The more connections you have, the more likely you will have a connection to the searcher” which helps you rank higher in their search. Personalize each connection request to remind people of how you know them or outline why you want to connect. LinkedIn is a fantastic tool so make sure you are taking advantage of it! Meet with your Co-op + Career Advisor to get help creating your profile or making connections.  They can also give you feedback once it is completed. See our LinkedIn Guide for more suggestions.