Preparing for Internship Success: What Every College Student Should Know

by Debra Manente, Director - Career Success Center, Western Connecticut State University

An internship is more than just a box to check on your college to-do list—it’s an opportunity to explore your career interests, develop skills, and build professional connections. 

Over the years, I’ve worked with countless students preparing for internships, and one thing is clear: the more effort you put into preparation, the more you’ll get out of the experience.

Here are the most important steps college students can take to prepare for a successful internship:

1. Set Clear Goals

Before you start your internship, take time to think about what you want to achieve. Are you looking to gain technical skills, build a portfolio, or expand your professional network? Perhaps you want to explore a specific career path to confirm it’s the right fit. Whatever your goals are, write them down and revisit them throughout your internship. Having a clear sense of purpose will help you stay focused and motivated.

2. Research the Company

Understanding the organization you’ll be working for is critical. Start by reviewing their website, mission statement, and recent news. Familiarize yourself with the industry they operate in and identify key players and trends. If possible, learn about your department and the role it plays within the company. This knowledge will not only impress your supervisor but also help you feel more confident on day one.

3. Review Your Job Description

Your job description is like a roadmap for your internship. Review it carefully to understand your responsibilities and any skills you’ll need. If there are areas where you feel less confident, take some time to brush up before your start date. For example, if your role involves using Excel, practice creating formulas or organizing data. Showing up prepared will demonstrate your commitment and initiative.

4. Polish Your Professional Materials

Your resume and LinkedIn profile should reflect the most up-to-date version of you. Highlight relevant coursework, projects, and experiences that align with the internship. If you don’t already have a professional headshot for LinkedIn, consider getting one before you start. These details matter because your colleagues might look you up online before meeting you.

5. Reach Out to Your Supervisor

Before your internship begins, connect with your supervisor to confirm details like your start date, work hours, dress code, and any materials you’ll need to bring. This is also a great opportunity to ask about the goals and expectations for your role. Starting the conversation early shows that you’re proactive and eager to make a strong first impression.

6. Prepare Logistically

Plan ahead to ensure you’re ready for your first day. Confirm transportation arrangements, whether it’s your car, public transit, or a bike route. If your internship is remote, test your internet connection and familiarize yourself with any required software or tools. The last thing you want is to scramble at the last minute.

7. Adopt a Positive Mindset

Your attitude can make or break your experience. Approach your internship with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. Understand that mistakes are part of the process, and be open to feedback. A positive mindset will help you adapt to challenges and make the most of your time.

Final Thoughts

Your internship is a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between the classroom and the workplace. By preparing thoughtfully, you’ll not only set yourself up for success but also show your employer that you’re a valuable addition to their team. Remember, the connections you make and the skills you develop now can open doors to exciting opportunities in the future. Take the time to prepare, and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve!

Debra Manente, M.Ed., CPRW, is the Director of the Career Success Center at Western Connecticut State University. With over 20 years of experience in career counseling and workforce development, she empowers students and alumni to achieve their career goals and secure meaningful employment. Debra holds a Master of Education from Cambridge College and is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer. She has developed and implemented innovative career-readiness programs, overseen experiential learning initiatives, and built strong employer partnerships to connect students with the hidden job market.

Five ways to prepare for a career long before graduation

 

When I meet students who are beginning college for the first time, they always ask, “When should I visit Career Services?” The short answer is, freshman year. By coming to Career Services long before you need us, we can help guide you in the direction you will need depending on your career choice. Although, we do offer yearly timelines on our website which outline what students should accomplish each year., It’s never too soon for a student to begin a conversation with their career services office.

 

While it doesn’t make sense to begin looking for a job and applying to companies as a freshman, it does make sense to begin gathering information on what careers require and what employers expect from college graduates.  By researching, asking questions, compiling relevant work accomplishments and getting good grades, you can help build a robust résumé and get ahead of the game.  With that, here are five things that can help students get started long before they walk across the stage to receive their diplomas.

 

 

1. Research your career field: Become familiar with the types of skills employers expect someone coming out of college to have. Depending on the industry, would you need to be proficient with certain computer applications, or what licenses would you be required to possess in the state where you reside? Also, you may need to understand what issues surround your industry and who the competitors are. It’s best to become aware of issues people may be worried about, or hiring trends that can have an impact on the career you choose. You can find that out, and more, by keeping up with trade publications, journals, newspapers and other periodicals for your field.

 

2. Network with people in your industry or join associations: One of the best ways to begin learning about your chosen industry is to talk with people who are currently working in it; another is to join related associations.  Trade associations are a great resource, and the fee for students to join is minimal. Regardless of when you graduate, you can start now to learn more about your field and the opportunities it could offer. This lets you build the important personal relationships that will help you launch your career and maintain it. It never hurts to begin talking now to your professors, your parents, relatives, and your connections on LinkedIn, and everyone else you run into day-to-day. Start by telling people you are gathering ideas and advice related to your potential career and you’ll be surprised at how much people want to share stories and help you.

 

3. Become aware of helpful search engines and job listings: At Post University, the Career Services Office has compiled a list of over 1,800 web links to help students research, and look for jobs. In the Degrees by Major section of the Career Services’ website, each major – undergraduate and graduate – is represented and displays a variety of helpful links that students can use, at any stage in their college career. By searching job postings and becoming familiarized with what is going on in any industry, a student can get a leg up on the competition when it comes time to interview for internships and jobs. By doing so, students can keep their eyes on current job listings –not so much with the idea of applying for them, but to learn from them. What skills do the employers seem to be looking for the most? What experiences do the employers seem most interested in? Also, where are the most positions becoming available?

 

4. Participate in internships or volunteer work: Not only does this give a student valuable skills and accomplishments to help build a robust résumé, it can help them decide if their path is one they really want to pursue. Also, many majors will require students to complete at least one internship before graduation. By knowing this, a student can take the necessary classes to help prepare them for future endeavors. Finally, if a student does decide that the major they chose is not the one for them, by knowing this ahead of time it will give them the opportunity to change majors while still having time to fulfill the requirements needed to graduate on time.

 

5. Begin compiling a résumé now: Create an account in Optimal Résumé and begin putting accomplishments on paper. There are a variety of formats in each major that we have created for Post University students. To get a good idea of what an effective resume could look like, we also encourage students to view other résumé formats related to their majors. I say to students, “If you think now that you don’t have anything to put on paper, you may be surprised.” This program can provide ideas to help you get started.

 

The timing may not always be right in regard to finding and interviewing for a position, but it’s never too early to begin career development. The personal relationships a student can build, and the potential knowledge they can gain will only help prepare them for the future. As graduation approaches, students have their minds on other things. However, I encourage them not to wait until the last minute. By graduation, there are already many graduates across the country who are ahead of the game and more prepared. With this competition, students need to be on mark and ready for the race.

 

Therefore, it is never too early to begin a conversation with the Career Services office. We are here to guide, provide ideas, and help students put their best foot forward once they find that perfect opportunity. Good luck and we look forward to meeting you.

Four key points in drafting an elevator pitch

Posted by Debra Manente

The term, “elevator pitch”, is jargon for a one-minute explanation of who you are.  It’s termed that because the length is typically the time it takes a person to ride an elevator; 30 to 60 seconds. Whether you are looking to sell yourself as a potential employee, sell a product or service, or collect information about a career, everyone needs a pitch.  An elevator pitch allows others to quickly zero in on the value you bring and understand your focus so they can help you reach your goal. It is something you can use while answering a question about yourself in a job interview or during any networking situation.

 

However, before anyone can help you, you need to understand yourself and what you bring to the table. You are the expert on yourself, and having a basic understanding of who you are is the key to creating a powerful pitch. Remember, no one knows you better than you, so it is your job to market yourself effectively. Your pitch will vary depending on your experience and networking situation. There are four basic parts to an elevator pitch and with a little practice, your message will come across as well thought out and professional. Here are the four parts you need to consider when preparing:

 

 

Know who you are:

 

It’s always best to begin with your name and current position, your educational background and any degrees you have or may be pursuing. This is also a good point to add any certifications or licenses.

 

Example: “Hi, I am Jane Smith and I’m a senior at Post University. My major is accounting with a concentration in legal studies.  Eventually, I hope to acquire my CPA license and work for a large corporation.”

 

Always remember to have a smile on your face and show enthusiasm for yourself. Without enthusiasm, others will not want to listen to what you have to say. Eye contact and body language also play an important role. If you come in contact with someone and they ask you who you are, put down the cell phone and give them the attention they deserve. It is only professional and courteous.

 

Talk about what you can offer:

 

Be able to discuss your expertise and how it can benefit an employer.  By understanding what your most notable past accomplishments are and what makes you a valuable candidate, you create a persona of someone with confidence and determination. You want to give examples that would make the listener excited to ask more questions.

 

Example: “Last summer I completed an internship with ABC Accounting Firm and I am hoping to find a second internship with a law firm for my final semester.  I’ve always had an interest with the legal field and I hope to be able to learn more about contracts and legal procedures regarding corporate business.”

 

Understand what makes you unique:

 

In this portion, you want to name some valuable skills you have and what results can you produce better than anyone else. Think of the areas of expertise you have in a subject or field. Whether it be a subject you have been studying in school, or a project you worked on during winter or summer break, think of what those results produced and how it may have set you apart from others. We all have things that we are good at. It’s all a matter of thinking about it and formulating the words eloquently.

 

 

Example: “I’ve maintained a GPA of 3.8 while attending school full-time and working a part-time job. Because of that, I feel my organizational and time management skills could benefit an employer. I am also currently the vice president of the Accounting Club and have volunteered on numerous occasions for local charities across Connecticut.”

If you have any awards or accomplishments related to your area of work, include those as well.  Anything you can think of that show you as a competent go-getter will set you apart from others and prove your worth.

 

Be able to share your goals:

 

By this point in your speech, your listener will either begin asking you questions or you can conclude your pitch with what your goals are.  Never be afraid to ask for the next step. In addition, it’s always best to have a personal business card handy. In the event you are stopped and you have to use your elevator pitch, you can conclude with a business card and a request to further the conversation.

Example: “I feel that this has helped me with my communication skills and I am hoping you might have an internship available at your firm, or know of anyone who may be looking for someone with my background. Here is my business card.”

 

 

In conclusion, you never know when you might come in contact with a person who can help make a difference in your career.  By fine-tuning your pitch, you can formulate an intelligent, informative elevator pitch that will convey your professionalism and desire to succeed. Think about a “wow factor” that can help you stand out from the crowd and use that to catch the listener’s attention.

Career development is a never-ending process and so is your pitch. Depending on the situation, you may have variations. The most important thing to remember, however, is that you need to constantly re-evaluate yourself. To be effective, you need to understand what you have to offer an employer in terms of experience, skills, accomplishments and goals.  Use that information to form a powerful pitch and you will always look prepared when faced with a networking opportunity.

 

Main campus students who are interest in more information and advice on formulating an effective elevator pitch are invited to Career Services’ Networking and Elevator Pitch Workshop, on March 19 from 12:30 -1:30 p.m. in North Hall, Room 103.  You will learn many helpful tips on how to navigate gracefully during networking events and what you can do to create an elevator pitch that will make you look like a rock star. For more information, or to reserve a seat, email: dmanente@post.edu. 

 

Debra Manente, M.Ed., CPRW, is the Associate Director of Career Services at Post University. Manente guides campus and online students to help them reach their career goals and secure employment. Manente holds a Master of Education from Cambridge College and a Bachelor's in Communication from Central Connecticut State University.

Four Etiquette Tips That Can Help You Look Professional

Four Etiquette Tips That Can Help You Look Professional

by Debra Manente

When I was a college student, professors rarely spoke about business etiquette. Transitioning into the workforce from college was just something we learned along the way. However, part of my job as a Career Services professional is to help students understand professionalism, and make their transition from college student to full-time employee a little easier.  

There are many things to take into consideration regarding etiquette, but to help combat the anxiety that comes along with graduating, looking for a job, and beginning a career, I’ve come up with four simple etiquette tips that can help you look more professional now.
1. Eliminate slang and improper use of communication

According to an article from the Wall Street Journal, managers are quite perplexed at how the English language has become somewhat informal due to social media and email; which can lead to bad impressions, poor customer service and inappropriate marketing. Knowing how to articulate proper sentences is the recipe for being taken seriously.

If you build a reputation for yourself as someone who consistently uses acronyms, or uses “ain’t” compared to “isn’t,” for example, you create a persona for yourself as someone who looks ignorant and uneducated. By simply using proper spelling, grammar and punctuation, you show that you not only care about how you are perceived, but you care about professionalism and decorum in the workplace.

2. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Listening skills matter.

We were all born with one mouth and two ears. Meaning, we should make it a point to speak less and listen more.  Being a good communicator means being a good listener as well. Let’s face it; we are all guilty of not listening at times.  Maybe we are too busy thinking about what we are going to say next instead of giving someone our full attention.

In any case, as Steven Covey mentions in his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by giving someone our full attention and asking thoughtful questions, we value what he calls “Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.” By doing so, this builds respect and will show that you value your fellow employees and care about receiving the correct message they intend to deliver.

3. Take your appearance seriously

The way you dress outside of work is different from the way you dress while at work.  It’s all about civility and my rule of thumb is, if you would wear it to a night out on the town, it isn’t appropriate to wear to the office.  For example, if you wear your pants baggy, as if they are going to fall down, they need to be pulled up and professional looking. Along with that, if you have tattoos, make sure they are covered during interviews. The same goes for the color of your hair, piercings, jewelry and perfume.  Remember, you want to be viewed as an adult and someone who is competent. 

First impressions are what matter the most and without making a positive impression, you might not be given a second chance. What you think is appropriate and stylish may not be the same as what your boss, or clients, think is appropriate.  To be safe, visit our Pinterest pin board to get a firsthand view on what is, and isn’t, expected in the business world.

4. Respect your fellow employees

Unfortunately, there are going to come times when you have to work with someone you don’t like.  It’s inevitable and a part of life.  You do not have to be best buddies, but it can be beneficial if you are polite, listen well, don’t gossip, follow directions, work as a team player, and are willing to learn new skills without complaining.

For example, if you have to work in a fellow employee’s office or cubicle, respect their space. Do not rummage through their desk, rearrange their things, borrow items and not return them, or leave a mess. Also, gossip can destroy office morale. If you are speaking poorly about others, the people you are complaining to will begin to wonder if you talk poorly about them behind their backs, as well. Keep things professional and remember, if you don’t want the whole world to know what is going on in your life, don’t say anything.

POST MAIN CAMPUS STUDENTS:

For more information and advice on business etiquette, please come to our annual Etiquette Dinner and Networking event taking place Wednesday evening, February 11^th from 5 to 6:30 p.m.  It’s free to undergraduate students and dinner will include hors d’oeuvres, salad, main meal and dessert.  You will learn many helpful tips on how to navigate gracefully during business dinners and networking events. You will not only learn etiquette skills that will benefit you as an employee, but you will learn valuable skills that will help you in your everyday activities. For more information, or to reserve a seat, contact me at dmanente@post.edu.  

Debra Manente, M.Ed., CPRW, is the Associate Director of Career Services at Post University. Manente guides campus and online students to help them reach their career goals and secure employment. Manente holds a Master of Education from Cambridge College and a Bachelor's in Communication from Central Connecticut State University

5 ways volunteering can help your career

Posted by Debra Manente

For many, finding employment in a new line of work can be daunting; especially if you are a career changer or a college student looking to build up your resume. However, by becoming an avid volunteer, you can not only make a difference in your community, you can also build the necessary skills needed to land a job in this unpredictable economy.

Here are some ways volunteering can help your career:

1. Gain experience

Being proactive and creating growth opportunities show employers you value hard work. According to an interview with Nicole Williams in Forbes magazine, it’s hard for graduates and career changers to gain experience when they are constantly being turned down for not having any. By acting as a volunteer, you can gain experience that will show you are invested in the big picture. By turning your values and passion into action, you demonstrate to your potential employer that you are committed to—and educated about—a variety of issues. It also shows that you value the steps it takes in order to build valuable accomplishments that will prove you have the experience needed.

2. Learn new skills

Volunteering can help you build new skills and can also help you decide if your path is one you really want to pursue. For example, a college student accustomed to doing research for school assignments could volunteer to research an issue or demographic for a nonprofit. By doing this, they prove how they have used the skills they learned in college and they have something tangible to write on their resume. Everyone has skills that they can apply from one job to the other. It’s all a matter of how it’s written on a resume and how you qualify yourself when it comes time to apply and interview for a job.

3. Grow your network

People who are already working in the field you aspire to work in are full of knowledge and are a great source for connections. They also have firsthand knowledge on what may become available in job opportunities, or how to go about taking the next step if you plan to further your education. If you don’t have any connections in a desired field, by placing yourself strategically, you not only surround yourself with knowledge that will help you grow, but it may just put you in the right place at the right time if something comes available. Not to mention, if you prove that you are a valuable worker, the people you work with may be able to put in a good word for you.

4. Explore possible careers

Volunteering allows you to try different rolls, companies and atmospheres. This way, you get an inside view on how departments are run, and how issues are handled.  Of course, by being a volunteer, it isn’t the same as being an employee, but it can expose you to an organization in a deeper way than if you were to just follow them on Twitter or LinkedIn. 

5. Build a track record of accomplishments

Volunteering is a terrific way to get life experience and build accomplishments that can help you qualify for future positions. Whether you mailed flyers to raise awareness for a local charity or built a house with Habitat for Humanity, you gained valuable real world experience through hands-on interaction. Volunteering adds structure to your resume and all those experiences can be formatted in a way that showcase you as a person who accomplished goals.     

Overall, if those examples aren’t proof of how valuable volunteerism can be, research proves that being a volunteer can lesson depression and prolong your life. According to an article written by Dr. Sara Konrath, PhD., in Everyday Health, volunteering has been associated with lower depression and increased well-being. 

Tell me in the comments how volunteering made a difference in your career!

10 Things to Do After the Job Interview

By Nancy Collamer, Debra Manente, contributing author to Forbes magazine

Congrats. You had the job interview. Now, your work is done, right? Wrong.
In today’s hypercompetitive job market, effective follow-up after the interview is a must, and failing to do it well might cause you to lose out to another candidate.
The line between being persistent and being a pain, however, is blurry at best. So to help you sort things out, I sent a query to my colleagues in the careers world — recruiters, career coaches, hiring managers and CEO’s — asking for their best follow-up advice.
I received more than 60 responses on topics ranging from thank you notes to handling rejection. Here’s a summary of their 10 best tips:

The Thank-You Note

On this point, everyone agreed: A thank-you note is a must. Most of the pros recommended you send one via email within 24 hours of the interview. Several suggested a handwritten card as a supplement when a personal or creative touch might be especially valued.

But if you really want to stand out, you need to do more than just say “thanks for your time.” The experts suggested these techniques to make your thank-you note shine:

Reference an article of interest. Include in the note a relevant article, link or book recommendation relating to a topic that was discussed during the interview. It’s a value-add for the interviewer and will reinforce your industry expertise.

 

To really make an impact, Jene Kapela, a South Florida-based leadership coach, says you should write a blog post on a topic discussed during the interview and then share the link to the post in your thank-you note.

Include supporting documentation that illustrates your ability to do the job. You don’t want to overwhelm the interviewer, but adding one or two carefully-curated examples of your work (non-confidential work samples, press mentions, etc.) can be a smart way to show off your expertise.
“It helps show you are the real deal,” says Tyson J. Spring, head of New Business & Strategy for Elever
Professional, an Austin, Texas recruiting firm.

Provide a follow-up response to one of the key interview questions. Ever draw a blank or give a less than stellar response during a job interview? Use your note to modify, correct or amplify one of your responses.

Todd Cherches

, CEO 
of BigBlueGumball, a New York City-based management consulting and coaching firm, offers this example:

When you asked me about my single greatest accomplishment in my last job, I apologize that I drew a blank. However, immediately after leaving, it hit me that I should have mentioned I was voted the top salesperson in my department for 2013, and proudly received a special recognition award at my company’s year-end national convention.

The Waiting Game

Anyone who has recently looked for a job knows that hiring decisions can drag on for months. To make that in-between-time work in your favor…

 

Follow instructions. If the recruiter or interviewer suggested contacting them by email, don’t call on the phone. And, says Lynne Sarikas, director of the MBA Career Center at the D’Amore McKim School of Busineess at Northeastern University, “If they tell you it will take two weeks, wait the two weeks.”

If you forgot to ask about next steps during the interview, request clarification in your follow-up email. Then follow the instructions you receive.
Don’t be a stalker. While you’re understandably anxious, that doesn’t give you license to pester the employer.

Debra Manente, associate director of Career Services at Post University in Waterbury, Conn., says you should call the recruiter or hiring manager to follow up at their recommended time (leave a message if you don’t reach them). But if you haven’t heard back after two calls, “take it as a sign to move on,” she says.

And speaking of stalking, most of the pros advised holding off on sending LinkedIn invitations to the people who interviewed you until after the hiring process has ended.

Immediately begin prepping for the next round of interviews. You never know when you’ll be asked to come in for a Round 2, so you’ll want to be good to go at a moment’s notice.
Joe Weinlick, vice president of marketing for the online job board network, Beyond.com, recommends that you “dig deep to find interesting pieces of information that most people can’t find on the company’s website. It could be about an award-winning project, a milestone in the company’s history or a recent initiative. If you take this information and casually work it into the conversation in a follow-up interview, it will leave a positive lasting impression and increase your chances of getting the job.”

Call in a favor. Have an influential contact who knows the hiring manager or recruiter you met with? Now might be the time to ask that person to lend a hand.

 

Maria Goldsholl, chief operating officer of the Mom Corps staffing solutions agency, offers this advice: “Have an impressive reference reach out to the hiring manager or recruiter via LinkedIn to drop a note to praise you. The note could read: ‘Mary, I recently became aware that Josh was interviewing with your company for a position. I wanted to tell you that you would be very lucky to have someone like that on your team. His skills are sharp and he was one of the best employees I have ever had.’

Keep hope — while you keep looking. In today’s crazy job market, you never know when you might hear back about a position you’ve long forgotten about.

As Lisa M. Benson, staffing director at Mary Kraft Staffing & HR Solutions, points out, “Thanks to electronics, hiring managers do really keep resumés at their fingertips for a while when they like them. We hear stories of candidates being hired six months to a year after the initial submission of their resumeé, sometimes with very little contact in the interim!”
Of course, hope alone is not a job search strategy. So keep your search in high gear until you have an offer in hand.

If You Don’t Get the Job

Should you lose out for a position you interviewed for, accept rejection in a professional manner. Sure it hurts to hear “No.” But if you handle the rejection professionally, you might be considered for a future job at the same employer.

Carol
 Cochran, Director of Human Resources at
 FlexJobs, shared that in the last six months, she has returned to — and hired — five candidates she originally turned down. “They made a great impression in our first round of
conversations and were graceful in their communications after I let them
know we had chosen another applicant,”
 Cochran wrote to me.

Stay in touch. You never know when an employer might have another opening or will hear of an opening and recommend you, so remain in contact after losing out. You might use LinkedIn to send an article or to reach out with a helpful suggestion.

But Bruce Hurwitz, a New York City-based executive recruiter, career counselor and author, says: Don’t overdo it. “Once every few months is a good idea,” he notes.
Otherwise, you might be seen as a pest, and that’s no way to stand out among job candidates as one of the best.

Nancy Collamer, M.S., is a career coach, speaker and author of Second-Act Careers: 50+ Ways to Profit From Your Passions During Semi-Retirement. Her website is MyLifestyleCareer.com; on Twitter she is @NancyCollamer.

How to customize your Linkedin URL

By Debra Manente

The most frequent question people have at our popular LinkedIn workshops is always, ‘How do I change my LinkedIn URL?’

Without changing your URL, LinkedIn assigns a series of numbers which can be hard to remember, however, your URL can be customized.  By doing this, your URL becomes more visually appealing and can then be used on your resume, business cards, or email signature. 

Your custom URL can contain between 5-30 letter and numbers and be as simple as your name, or your “brand.” However, LinkedIn will not allow the use of spaces, symbols, or special characters. If you decide to change your URL, remember to always choose a URL that reflects professionalism. If your name is John Smith and John Smith is already being used, you may opt to use your middle initial or a combination of your first/last initial and then your first/last name.  Whatever you chose, keep it professional because everyone in your network will see it. 

Keep in mind that some URLs may be unavailable, as each URL is offered on a first come, first served basis.  If a member uses a URL and then changes it, the URL they first chose will be unavailable for use by another member for several months.  Also, if you change your URL more than three times in six months, you will have to wait another six months before you can change it again.  Therefore, you may want to sit with a pad and pen and jot down possible combinations in the instance your name is already being used. 

Once you decide which version of your name you want to go with, the steps to change the URL are as follows:

1.       Move your cursor over Profile at the top of your homepage and select Edit Profile.

2.       Below your picture, there will be a Linkedin URL. It will look something like this: www.linkedin.com/in/yourname.......

3.       Click the word Edit next to that URL.

4.       In the Your public profile URL box in the bottom right, click "Customize your public profile URL.”

5.       Type your name, or whatever you want the last part of your new custom URL to be, in that text box.

6.       Remember to click Set Custom URL.

You have now customized your LinkedIn URL.  If you go back and click on Profile, at the top of your homepage, you will notice your new URL below your picture.  It’s that easy.   

By customizing your URL, you have now taken control of another part of your “online brand;” along with demonstrating your savvy technical skills. Now you are ready to network with people and add your URL to your resume, business card, or any social media platform you use.

Good luck and let us know how customizing your URL has made a difference!