LinkedIn has become the go to place for business professionals and job seekers to network, quickly access job postings, and more recently gain access to developmental resources. Since the emergence of the service based platform, there have been quite a few exciting opportunities to learn how to successfully market yourself.
Being a student or a recent graduate and finding yourself having to Google jobs everyday can be an overwhelming without having a community to help guide you on a professional and personal level. The fast growing campaign that is the Students of LinkedIn is a space that was created to help college students around the world enhance their presence on the LinkedIn platform… and no, you don’t need a LinkedIn business account to join!
So how did this idea come about and who’s behind it you ask? Information Systems and Technology professional Blessing Adogame!
Let’s get a the full rundown of who Blessing is an how this influential woman in tech is changing the game.
Blessing Adogame is pursuing a BS in Information Systems, with minors in Security Technology and Business Administration at Drexel University. She is a Community Leader, Woman in Tech, Public Speaker and Co-founder of "Students of LinkedIn." She's a global citizen who has lived in Nigeria, Germany and Scotland. Blessing is an adherent believer in the power of storytelling. She believes that stories and experiences pave the path that enhances a person's voice. She has been involved in various speaking engagements in different countries as it concerns LinkedIn and Student Development. Currently, she's a Campus Editor for LinkedIn and guides students towards building a personal brand for themselves. She aspires to create a space, not only where she can continue to help other students around the world, but where students can help students. Ultimately, creating a synergistic movement and mindset.
What motivated you to CREATE the Students of LinkedIn Community?
I was motivated to create this community when I found a platform that helped to turn walls into bridges, I knew I couldn’t just keep it to myself. I started a hashtag campaign, in which, through my own content, I could help increase student engagement and storytelling on the platform, by encouraging students to use #studentsoflinkedin in their posts. At first, I didn’t see many students optimize the platform, but the hashtag began to circulate, globally, and students were starting to take action. I used to believe that my story was small and my journey was insignificant, but I saw an opportunity for me to grow and I took the lead. I wanted to show students around the world, the importance of unlocking their potential, utilizing the resources they have around them and taking charge from their campus to career.
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Who were the people you SHARED the community with once you had the idea?
The hashtag campaign went on for 7 months, until I met my co-founders Charles Arday and Ledornubari Nwilene. I saw a similar passion and fire in them, that I knew is exactly what I needed. Listening to their story, I knew I couldn’t do it all by myself, so I lifted up my 2 co-founders to join in the mission. As our vision and community expanded, so did the team behind the scenes. I wanted to bring on students who were hungry for opportunity and strived to lift others up. The mindset behind Students of LinkedIn, was to use what you have (resources, story, voice, skills, talents), and showcase them in a way that not only you benefit from it, but others do too. That was my pitch.
How do you continue to AMPLIFY and grow the community?
As a community, we see the importance of showing and not just telling. We want to equip students with resources, skills, and opportunities that allow them to grow personally and professionally. Through hosting mentoring calls, webinars, panel events and individually getting to know the members of our community, we build the foundation of what would turn into a legacy. For students, by students. We continue to grow and amplify the community through leading by example, creating solutions to problems and by advocating the importance of lifting others up.
More information about the history of Students of LinkedIn:
Would you like to be involved?
Visit the Students of LinkedIn Here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/students-of-linkedin